Nucleic Acid Studies in Experimental Cardiomegaly

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Abstract
1. A group of weanling rats was made anemic by an Fe- and Cu-deficient diet consisting of cow's milk. An appropriate control group receiving Fe and Cu in addition to milk was also studied. After 86-105 days, the rats were sacrificed; hematocrit levels, heart weights, DNA, RNA, and protein concentrations were determined. Total DNA, RNA, and protein contents of the hearts were calculated. 2. Statistical analysis showed a significantly increased mean heart weight, decreased DNA concentration, increased RNA to DNA ratio, and increased total RNA and protein content in the hearts of the anemie group of rats versus the control rats. There were no statistically significant changes in RNA concentration or total DNA content of the hearts. 3. These data are interpreted as showing that the predominant cellular change in cardiae enlargement in the rat with dietary Fe-and Cu-deficiency is that of increase in size of the myocardial cell.