Absence of Myostatin Improves Cardiac Function Following Myocardial Infarction

Background Myostatin inhibits the development of skeletal muscle and regulates the proliferation of skeletal muscle fibroblasts. However, the role of myostatin in regulating cardiac muscle or myofibroblasts, specifically in acute myocardial infarction (MI), is less clear. This study sought to determine whether absence of myostatin altered left ventricular function post-MI. Methods Myostatin-null mice (Mstn(-/-)) and wild-type (WT) mice underwent ligation of the left anterior descending artery to induce MI. Left ventricular function was measured at baseline, days 1 and 28 post-MI. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence were obtained at day 28 for cellular proliferation, collagen deposition, and myofibroblastic; activity. Results Whilst left ventricular function at baseline and size of infarct were similar, significant differences in favour of Mstn(-/-) compared to WT mice post-MI include a greater recovery of ejection fraction (61.8 +/- 1.1% vs 571 +/- 2.3%, p < 0.01), less collagen deposition (41.9 +/- 2.8% vs 54.7 +/- 3.4%, p < 0.05), and lower mortality (0 vs. 20%, p < 0.05). There was no difference in the number of BrdU positive cells, percentage of apoptotic cardiomyocytes, or size of cardiomyocytes post-MI between WT and Mstn-/- mice. Conclusions Absence of myostatm potentially protects the function of the heart post-MI with improved survival, possibly by limiting extent of fibrosis.