Background—Senescent hearts are characterized by diastolic dysfunction and a decrease in sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca²⁺-ATPase protein (SERCA2a).

Methods and Results—To test the hypothesis that an increase in SERCA2a could improve cardiac function in senescent rats (age 26 months), we used a catheter-based technique of adenoviral gene transfer to achieve global myocardial transduction of SERCA2a in vivo. Adult rat hearts aged 6 months and senescent rat hearts infected with an adenovirus containing the reporter gene β-galactosidase were used as controls. Two days after infection, parameters of systolic and diastolic function were measured in open-chest rats. Cardiac SERCA2a protein and ATPase activity were significantly decreased in senescent hearts compared with adult rats (Δ −30±4% and −49±5%) and were restored to adult levels after infection with Ad.SERCA2a. At baseline, left ventricular systolic pressure and +dP/dt were unaltered in senescent hearts; however, diastolic parameters were adversely affected with an increase in the left ventricular time constant of isovolumic relaxation and diastolic pressure (Δ +29±9% and +38±12%) and a decrease in −dP/dt (Δ −26±11%). Overexpression of SERCA2a did not significantly affect left ventricular systolic pressure but did increase +dP/dt (Δ +28±10%) in the senescent heart. Overexpression of SERCA2a restored the left ventricular time constant of isovolumic relaxation and −dP/dt to adult levels. Infection of senescent hearts with Ad.SERCA2a markedly improved rate-dependent contractility and diastolic function in senescent hearts.

Conclusions—These results support the hypothesis that decreased Ca²⁺-ATPase activity contributes to the functional abnormalities observed in senescent hearts and demonstrates that Ca²⁺ cycling proteins can be targeted in the senescent heart to improve cardiac function.