Investigating the functional and metabolic role of carnitine in the diabetic heart using hyperpolarized MRI

<p>Diabetes increases the incidence of myocardial infarction and heart failure, which are leading causes of mortality in diabetic patients. L-carnitine levels are decreased in the plasma of diabetic patients and L-carnitine supplementation has been shown to have protective effects. L-carnitine...

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Main Author: Savic, D
Other Authors: Tyler, D
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: 2018
Subjects:
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author Savic, D
author2 Tyler, D
author_facet Tyler, D
Savic, D
author_sort Savic, D
collection OXFORD
description <p>Diabetes increases the incidence of myocardial infarction and heart failure, which are leading causes of mortality in diabetic patients. L-carnitine levels are decreased in the plasma of diabetic patients and L-carnitine supplementation has been shown to have protective effects. L-carnitine transports fatty acids into the mitochondria allowing for subsequent —-oxidation, but it can also export acetyl-CoA from the mitochondria through acetylcarnitine and thereby relieve PDH-flux.</p> <p>The aim of this thesis was to explore the effects of modulating L-carnitine levels on in vivo metabolism and function in the diabetic heart. Hyperpolarized MRI was used to assess metabolism, while CINE MRI was used for the assessment of cardiac function. A Langendorff method was used to determine the ex vivo effect of L-carnitine on functional recovery post-ischemia.</p> <p>Different diabetic models were initially investigated to find the most appropriate model in which to modulate L-carnitine levels. A neonatal model of diabetes showed decreased aerobic to anaerobic metabolism (50 %) in conjunction with functional impairment, which could be reversed with Glibenclamide treatment. A fasted streptozotocin induced rat model showed superior SNR on MRI and was pursued further. PDH-flux and alanine metabolism were decreased (&gt;60%) with diabetes which coincided with functional impairments. Sustained hyperglycaemia for four weeks led to an elevation in lactate and alanine (&gt;140 %), while also elevating stroke volume.</p> <p>L-carnitine treatment (3 g/kg/day, i.p.) elevated acetylcarnitine (AC) levels (219 %) and slowed down the progression of hyperglycaemia in diabetes, while elevating PDH-flux (51 %), allowing for improved diastolic function (16 %) in vivo, and improved functional recovery post-ischemia ex vivo (270 %). However detrimental effects were observed in control animals treated with L-carnitine.</p> <p>Daily Mildronate treatment, which inhibits L-carnitine uptake, reduced AC levels (52 %) and elevated PDH-flux (214 %) in the diabetics. These metabolic changes were not accompanied by functional changes. However, improved ex vivo functional recovery post-ischemia (34 %) was observed, but did not reach the level of recovery that L-carnitine had on the ex vivo heart.</p> <p>This work has clarified that the use of L-carnitine treatment in diabetes can enhance carbohydrate metabolism and is more beneficial than decreasing L-carnitine levels with Mildronate. This work has shown the potential for using hyperpolarized and CINE MRI in better understanding the mechanism of L-carnitine’s effect on the diabetic heart, and it may provide new insights into novel therapeutics.</p>
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spelling oxford-uuid:7e29c207-3061-478c-92bc-0e23aba71d0c2025-01-27T08:38:54ZInvestigating the functional and metabolic role of carnitine in the diabetic heart using hyperpolarized MRIThesishttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_db06uuid:7e29c207-3061-478c-92bc-0e23aba71d0cDiabetesMetabolismMildronatePhysiologyCarnitineCardiovascular system--DiseasesDiabetic heart diseaseDiabetic treatmentsHyperpolarized MRIMagnetic resonance imagingEnglishORA Deposit2018Savic, DTyler, DHeather, LEvans, RStuckey, D<p>Diabetes increases the incidence of myocardial infarction and heart failure, which are leading causes of mortality in diabetic patients. L-carnitine levels are decreased in the plasma of diabetic patients and L-carnitine supplementation has been shown to have protective effects. L-carnitine transports fatty acids into the mitochondria allowing for subsequent —-oxidation, but it can also export acetyl-CoA from the mitochondria through acetylcarnitine and thereby relieve PDH-flux.</p> <p>The aim of this thesis was to explore the effects of modulating L-carnitine levels on in vivo metabolism and function in the diabetic heart. Hyperpolarized MRI was used to assess metabolism, while CINE MRI was used for the assessment of cardiac function. A Langendorff method was used to determine the ex vivo effect of L-carnitine on functional recovery post-ischemia.</p> <p>Different diabetic models were initially investigated to find the most appropriate model in which to modulate L-carnitine levels. A neonatal model of diabetes showed decreased aerobic to anaerobic metabolism (50 %) in conjunction with functional impairment, which could be reversed with Glibenclamide treatment. A fasted streptozotocin induced rat model showed superior SNR on MRI and was pursued further. PDH-flux and alanine metabolism were decreased (&gt;60%) with diabetes which coincided with functional impairments. Sustained hyperglycaemia for four weeks led to an elevation in lactate and alanine (&gt;140 %), while also elevating stroke volume.</p> <p>L-carnitine treatment (3 g/kg/day, i.p.) elevated acetylcarnitine (AC) levels (219 %) and slowed down the progression of hyperglycaemia in diabetes, while elevating PDH-flux (51 %), allowing for improved diastolic function (16 %) in vivo, and improved functional recovery post-ischemia ex vivo (270 %). However detrimental effects were observed in control animals treated with L-carnitine.</p> <p>Daily Mildronate treatment, which inhibits L-carnitine uptake, reduced AC levels (52 %) and elevated PDH-flux (214 %) in the diabetics. These metabolic changes were not accompanied by functional changes. However, improved ex vivo functional recovery post-ischemia (34 %) was observed, but did not reach the level of recovery that L-carnitine had on the ex vivo heart.</p> <p>This work has clarified that the use of L-carnitine treatment in diabetes can enhance carbohydrate metabolism and is more beneficial than decreasing L-carnitine levels with Mildronate. This work has shown the potential for using hyperpolarized and CINE MRI in better understanding the mechanism of L-carnitine’s effect on the diabetic heart, and it may provide new insights into novel therapeutics.</p>
spellingShingle Diabetes
Metabolism
Mildronate
Physiology
Carnitine
Cardiovascular system--Diseases
Diabetic heart disease
Diabetic treatments
Hyperpolarized MRI
Magnetic resonance imaging
Savic, D
Investigating the functional and metabolic role of carnitine in the diabetic heart using hyperpolarized MRI
title Investigating the functional and metabolic role of carnitine in the diabetic heart using hyperpolarized MRI
title_full Investigating the functional and metabolic role of carnitine in the diabetic heart using hyperpolarized MRI
title_fullStr Investigating the functional and metabolic role of carnitine in the diabetic heart using hyperpolarized MRI
title_full_unstemmed Investigating the functional and metabolic role of carnitine in the diabetic heart using hyperpolarized MRI
title_short Investigating the functional and metabolic role of carnitine in the diabetic heart using hyperpolarized MRI
title_sort investigating the functional and metabolic role of carnitine in the diabetic heart using hyperpolarized mri
topic Diabetes
Metabolism
Mildronate
Physiology
Carnitine
Cardiovascular system--Diseases
Diabetic heart disease
Diabetic treatments
Hyperpolarized MRI
Magnetic resonance imaging
work_keys_str_mv AT savicd investigatingthefunctionalandmetabolicroleofcarnitineinthediabeticheartusinghyperpolarizedmri