CARDIOMYOPATHY OF IRON OVERLOAD--FIRST ANIMAL MODEL

THIS RESEARCH PROJECT IS DESIGNED TO ESTABLISH THE TECHNICAL MERIT AND FEASIBILITY OF COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION OF RATS WITH THE CARDIOMYOPATHY OF IRON OVERLOAD. PILOT STUDIES WITH OUR CONSUTANTS HAVE SHOWN THAT CARDIAC IRON DEPOSITION NEAR THE MAGNITUDE ASSOCIATED WITH ARRHYTHMIAS AND CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE IN PATIENTS WITH IRON OVERLOAD CAN BE PRODUCED IN RATS. THESE STUDIES ARE DESIGNED TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE MAGNITUDE AND PATTERN OF CARDIAC IRON DEPOSITION AS WELL AS THE FUNCTIONAL IMPAIRMENT FOUND WITH THE CARDIOMYOPATHY OF HUMAN IRON OVERLOAD CAN BE REPRODUCED IN THE RAT. THE RESEACH WILL DEVELOP A NEW METHOD FOR PRODUCING SYSTEMIC IRON OVERLOAD IN THE RAT THAT WILL BE ABLE TO REPRODUCE WITHIN MONTHS A CARDIMYOPATHY THAT TAKES YEARS TO DEVELOP IN PATIENTS WITH TRANSFUSIONAL IRON OVERLOAD OR HEREDITARY HEMOCHROMATOSIS. THESE ANIMALS WITH IRON-INDUCED CARDIOMYOPATHY WOULD THEN BE MADE COMMERCIALLY AVAIIALABLE TO INVESTIGATORS FORSPECIALIZED STUDIES.