Our understanding of cardiac remodeling processes due to left ventricular pressure overload derives largely from animal models of aortic banding. However, these studies fail to enable control over both disease progression and reversal, hindering their clinical relevance. Here, we describe a method for progressive and reversible aortic banding based on an implantable expandable actuator that can be finely tuned to modulate aortic banding and debanding in a rat model. Through catheterization, imaging, and histologic studies, we demonstrate that our platform can recapitulate the hemodynamic and structural changes associated with pressure overload in a controllable manner. We leveraged soft robotics to enable noninvasive aortic debanding, demonstrating that these changes can be partly reversed because of cessation of the biomechanical stimulus. By recapitulating longitudinal disease progression and reversibility, this animal model could elucidate fundamental mechanisms of cardiac remodeling and optimize timing of intervention for pressure overload.

中文翻译：

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用于小动物模型中进行性和可逆性主动脉缩窄的软机器人平台


我们对左心室压力超负荷引起的心脏重塑过程的理解主要来自主动脉束带的动物模型。然而，这些研究未能同时控制疾病进展和逆转，阻碍了它们的临床相关性。在这里，我们描述了一种基于植入式可扩展致动器的渐进式和可逆性主动脉束带方法，该致动器可以微调以调节大鼠模型中的主动脉束带和脱带。通过导管插入术、成像和组织学研究，我们证明我们的平台可以以可控的方式概括与压力超负荷相关的血流动力学和结构变化。我们利用软机器人技术实现无创主动脉脱带，证明这些变化可以由于生物力学刺激的停止而部分逆转。通过概括纵向疾病进展和可逆性，该动物模型可以阐明心脏重塑的基本机制并优化压力超负荷的干预时机。