Effect of neuregulin-1βcombined with captopril on myocardial cell apop-tosis and related gene expression in rats with chronic heart failure / 中国病理生理杂志

ABSTRACT

AIM:To study the effect of neuregulin-1 ( NRG-1β) or captopril alone and their combination on myocardial cell apoptosis and related gene expression in rats with chronic heart failure .METHODS:Young male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham-operated group, heart failure group, NRG-1βgroup, captopril group and combined treatment group .The volume overloaded heart failure model in the rats was established by aortocaval fistula .The cardiac function was evaluated by determining the changes of hemodynamics and plasma BNP level .The apoptotic index ( AI) of myocardial cells was assayed by TUNEL .The protein levels of p-Akt, Bax and Bcl-2 in left ventricular tissue were detected by Western blot .RESULTS: The LVEDP, AI and the expression of Bax were significantly lower in NRG-1βgroup, captopril group and combined treatment group than those in heart failure group ( P<0.05 ) , while the values of ±dp/dtmax and the protein levels of p-Akt and Bcl-2 were significantly higher in NRG-1βgroup, captopril group and com-bined treatment group than those in heart failure group (P<0.05).The effect of combined treatment group was more signifi-cant ( P<0.05) than that in NRG-1βgroup and captopril group .CONCLUSION: Neuregulin-1βor captopril alone and the combination of them effectively improve the cardiac function and inhibit myocardial cell apoptosis in chronic heart failure rats.The therapeutic effect of combination of NRG-1βand captopril is better than that of NRG-1βor captopril alone .