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Abstract #3558

In Vivo Cardiac MRI Detects Differential Response to Partial and Complete Akt1 Deficiency

Katrien Vandoorne1, Inbal E. Biton2, Alon Harmelin2, Michal Neeman1

1Biological Regulation, Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, Israel; 2Veterinary Resources, Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, Israel


The PKB/Akt family of intracellular protein kinases regulates cellular growth, proliferation, survival and metabolism. It is known that Akt1/PKBalpha controls heart size and function. Baseline left ventricular structure and function of Akt1/PKBalpha; null, heterozygote and wild type mice, were assessed using retrospectively reconstructed FLASH cine scans with the aid of navigator scans. Here, we showed in vivo, that LV mass and cardiac output are reduced in knockout animals. This reduction is consistent with the reduced body weight. Surprisingly, cardiac hypertrophy observed here by MRI of heterozygote mice, and noted also previously by ultrasound, was resolved in the full Akt1 knockout.