ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the protective effects of c-jun antisense gene recombinant transfection on rat cardiomyocytes inflicted by hypoxia and burn serum.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Cardiomyocytes from Wistar rat were isolated and cultured before being divided into normal control (C), transfection (T) and non-transfection (NT) groups. C-jun antisense gene recombinant was constructed and transfected into cardiomyocytes, which were then treated by hypoxia and burn serum in T group, while those in NT group were simply treated by hypoxia and burn serum. The changes in the c-jun mRNA expression were determined by RT-PCR at 1, 3 and 7 hours after the cardiomyocytes being stimulated, and the changes in the expressions of c-jun protein, troponin-T (TnT) and beta-tubulin were assayed by Western blot. The morphological changes in the cardiomyocytes were observed by LM and EM.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>1) The expressions of c-jun mRNA and protein in the NT group were increased evidently when compared with those in C and T groups. 2) The expressions of TnT and beta-tubulin in NT group were decreased evidently in contrast to those in C and T groups. In addition, there exhibited evident structural derangement, dissolution and fragmentation to granules of cardiomyocytes in NT group, while the myocardial cytoskeletal structure was well preserved with scarce fragmentation and dissolution in T group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Increased expression of c-jun in rat cardiomyocytes resulting in myocardial injury could be induced by combined treatment of hypoxia and burn serum, while c-jun antisense gene recombinant transfection might protect rat cardiomyocytes from injury.</p>