Effects of the calcineurin dependent signaling pathway inhibition by cyclosporin A on early and late cardiac remodeling following myocardial infarction

Background: The calcineurin‐mediated signaling pathway has been implicated as one of the crucial pathways in cardiac hypertrophy. However, the role of calcineurin pathway on cardiac remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI) has not been well defined. Methods: Infarcted rats (n=45) were randomized into calcineurin inhibitor, cyclosporin A (CsA) or vehicle groups, 3 days after MI and treated for 2 weeks (early post‐MI cardiac remodeling stage), or randomized 17 days after MI and treated for 2 weeks (late remodeling stage). Results: Calcineurin pathway inhibition during the early cardiac remodeling stage attenuated the myocardial hypertrophy after MI (P