Gentisic acid prevents the transition from pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy to heart failure

We previously reported that gentisic acid attenuates cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis in transverse aortic constriction (TAC)-induced cardiac hypertrophy. Here, we examined whether gentisic acid prevents the development of heart failure. Heart failure was induced in mice via chronic TAC. Mice were administered the vehicle, gentisic acid (10 and 100 mg∙kg(−1)∙day(−1)), or bisoprolol (0.5 mg∙kg(−1)∙day(−1)) orally for 3 weeks, beginning 3 weeks after TAC. After oral administration of gentisic acid (2000 mg∙kg(−1)), no significant differences in organ weight, histology, or analyzed serum and hematological parameters were observed between female mice in the control and gentisic acid-treated groups. Gentisic acid administration inhibited cardiac dysfunction in a dose-dependent manner, and reduced cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis, as was revealed via western blotting, quantitative real-time PCR, and Masson’s trichrome staining. Gentisic acid dose-dependently reduced the expression of fibrosis marker genes, suppressed the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, and reduced lung size and pulmonary vascular remodeling. Our data indicate that gentisic acid prevents cardiac hypertrophy, fibrosis, cardiac dysfunction, and pulmonary pathology in TAC-induced heart failure. These findings suggest that supplementation with gentisic acid may provide an advantage in preventing the progression from cardiac hypertrophy to heart failure.