ABSTRACT
Objective To observe the effect of carvedilol on the expression of Cx43 in rabbits with myocardial infarction and its association with ventricular arrhythmia.Method Thirty-six rabbits were randomly divided into three groups in equal number(n=12),namely,myocardial infarction(MI)group,carvedilol group and sham MI group.Rabbits of carvedilol group were administered with carvedilol 5 mg kg~(-1)?d~(-1)after MI induced,while no carvedilol was administered to the MI group.The following observations were made:(1)Cx43 density of the epicardial border zone measured by quantitative immnuoconfocal laser scanning,and(2)cx43 protein expression analyzed by western blot.Results(1)Under immunoconfocal laser microscope,the relative density of Cx43 was(0.16?0.06)% in the infarction group and was(0.32?0.11)% in the sham MI group [(0.68?0.15)%,both P