Effect of Shenfu parenteral injection on the expressions of Bcl-2, Bax and c-Fos proteins in ischemia reperfusion myocardium of rats

Yupei CHEN; Chongming MU; Daoru JI; Ling DAN; Wenting GONG; Lisha WANG

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

It has been confirmed that Shenfu parenteral injection can ameliorate and treat various shocks, heart failure, myocardial ischemia and supraventricular/ventricular arrhythmia, and it also has a good protective effect on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats.

OBJECTIVE:

To observe the effects of Shenfu parenteral injection on the protein expressions of myocardial apoptosis-related genes of Bcl-2, Bax and c-Fos in rats with acute ischemia/reperfusion injury.

DESIGN:

A complete randomized grouping design, controlled experiment.

SETTING:

Department of Anesthesiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital,Chongqing University of Medical Sciences.MATERIALS The experiments were carried out in the Staff Room of Anesthesiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing University of Medical Sciences from April to December in 2004. Thirty-five healthy adult Wistar rats were provided by the experimental animaI center of Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University of Chinese PLA. Shenfu parenteral injection was the TCM formula of Shenfu Tang, which is for recuperating depleted yang and rescuing the patient from collapse, and its main components are ginsenoside and aconitum alkaloid. It was the product of Yaan Sanjiu Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., 10 mL/piece, the batch number was 030110.

METHODS:

In vivo models of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury were used. The 35 rats were divided into 5 groups according to the number of random number table, with 7 rats in each group ① Sham-operated group The rats were treated with only insertion of thread without ligation, followed by intravenous injection of saline (8 mL/kg), and then observed for 120 minutes. ② Shenfu parenteral injection 30-minute group The rats were treated with intravenous injection of Shenfu parenteral injection (8 mL/kg) at 15 minutes before ligation, and then the left coronary artery anterior descending branch was ligated for 40 minutes and reperfused for 30 minutes. ③ Shenfu parenteral injection 120-minute group The rats were reperfused for 120 minutes, and the others were the same as those in the Shenfu parenteral injection 30-minute group. ④ Saline 30-minute control group The rats were treated with intravenous injection of saline (8 mL/kg) at 15 minutes before ligation, and then the left coronary artery anterior descending branch was ligated for 40 minutes and reperfused for 30 minutes. ⑤ Saline 120-minute control group The rats were reperfused for 120 minutes, and the others were the same as those in the saline 30-minute control group. The expressions of Bcl-2, Bax and c-Fos proteins in myocardial tissues were detected with immunohistochemical method.MAIN OUTCOME

MEASURES:

The expressions of Bcl-2, Bax and cFos proteins in myocardial tissues of rats in each group were observed.

RESULTS:

All the 35 rats were involved in the analysis of results without deletion. ①As compared with the sham-operated group, the expressions of Bcl-2, Bax or c-Fos protein in myocardium were significantly increased(P ＜ 0.01), but the Bcl-2/Bax ratios were significantly decreased (P ＜0.01) in the saline 30 and 120-minute groups. ② As compared with corresponding saline groups, the expressions of Bcl-2 protein in the Shenfu parenteral injection 30 and 120-minute groups were significantly increased (P ＜ 0.01), the expressions of Bax and c-Fos proteins were remarkably decreased (P ＜ 0.01), and the Bcl-2/Bax ratios were significantly increased (P ＜ 0.01).

CONCLUSION:

Protective effect of Shenfu parenteral injection on ischemia/reperfusion myocardium may be correlated with its promotion of Bcl-2 protein expression, restrain to Bax and c-Fos protein expressions, and increase of Bcl-2/Bax ratio, and it restrains the apoptosis of myocardial cells.