Key result
Cardiomyopathic hamsters showed markedly increased numbers of calcium antagonist receptor binding sites in heart, brain, and muscle, along with increased calcium-45 uptake into brain synaptosomes.
Suggests calcium channel dysregulation in cardiomyopathy models; hypothesis-generating and requires human validation before any clinical consideration.
The Syrian cardiomyopathic hamster has a hereditary disease in which a progressive myocardial necrosis mimics human forms of cardiac hypertrophy. Lesions are associated with calcium overload and can be prevented with the calcium antagonist verapamil. Numbers of receptor binding sites for calcium antagonists in heart, brain, skeletal muscle, and smooth muscle were markedly increased in cardiomyopathic hamsters. The uptake of calcium-45 into brain synaptosomes was also increased in cardiomyopathic hamsters. The increase in calcium antagonist receptors and related voltage-sensitive calcium channels may be involved in the pathogenesis of this cardiomyopathy.
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Wagner et al. (1986) studied Cardiomyopathy. Verapamil / Calcium antagonist receptors vs. Normal hamsters (implied) was evaluated on Number of receptor binding sites for calcium antagonists and calcium-45 uptake. Cardiomyopathic hamsters showed markedly increased numbers of calcium antagonist receptor binding sites in heart, brain, and muscle, along with increased calcium-45 uptake into brain synaptosomes.
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