Serum Adropin as a Biomarker for Cardiac Dysfunction in Experimentally Induced Male Albino Rat Heart Failure Model

Abstract Background: Heart Failure (HF) remains to be one of the major worldwide causes of mortality and morbidity. Adropin is a recent peptide hormone that may play a role in energy homeostasis and metabolism. Some studies revealed that adropin plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of heart failure others suggesting that it may be important for maintaining cardiovascular system potency. Aim of Study: To find out the possibility of using adropin as a biomarker for detection of cardiac dysfunction, in exper-imentally induced heart failure in male albino rats. Material and Methods: This study was conducted on 2 groups of male albino rats (180-200g): Control group (I) (n=10), in which rats fed normal chow. Chronic heart failure group (II) (n=10), in which chronic heart failure was induced by subcutaneous injection of Isoproterenol at a dose of 5mg/kg once daily for 14 consecutive days. Echocardiographic meas-urements were done, whole Body Weight (BW) was measured, serum levels of adropin & brain natriuretic peptide were measured. Whole Heart Weight (WHW) were measured, then (WHW/BW ratio were calculated). Finally, histopathological examination of heart tissues was done to evaluate the cardiac tissue structural changes. Results: Induction of heart failure resulted in cardiac function deterioration developed after 14 days, as proved by the significant increase in brain natriuretic peptide (4.4±0.02 vs. 1.4±0.06 p<0.001), reduction of ejection fraction (50.7±3.02 vs. 71.60±3.43 p<0.001) along with corresponding histopatho-logical changes in ventricular tissues. There was a significant increase in adropin levels in heart failure group (4.8±0.15 vs. 2.7±0.10 p<0.001). Furthermore; those levels were positively correlated with the previously affected parameters. Conclusion: This study suggested that adropin may act as a mediator in cardiac dysfunction and can be used as a marker for early diagnosis of cardiovascular system affection.