Rachel Lopez is using this approach to understand how total adenine nucleotide pools and oxidative capacity are related to left ventricular ejection fraction in trans-aortic constricted rat (a model of hypertrophic heart failure). With computational models she can calculate other hard to measure variables such as cytosolic free phosphate and the free energy of ATP formation in each animal and perform thought experiments such as inserting average TAC metabolism into each sham animal and vice versa.
In heart failure:
- There are decreases in the CrP/ATP ratio and ATP levels.
- Mitochondrial and cardiac mechanical function is impaired.
Is altering the metabolic profile in heart failure sufficient to rescue cardiac function?
