Effects of neuregulin on cardiac myocyte apoptosis and PI-3K signal transduction pathway in rapid pacing-induced heart failure in rhesus monkeys / 中南大学学报(医学版)

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the protective effect of neuregulin against cardiac myocyte injury in pacing-induced heart failure in rhesus monkeys and its mechanism.@*METHODS@#Rapid pacing was used to induce heart failure in rhesus monkeys. Aorta intubation was used to perform hemodynamic measurements such as the peak positive rate of of left ventricular pressure (LVdP/dtmax) and left ventricular systolic, end-diastolic blood pressures (LVSP and LVEDP, respectively) 17 days after the pacing. N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), as molecular marker of heart failure, was also measured by electrochemical luminescence immunoassay. The apoptosis of cardiac myocyte was observed by Tunel method. Western blot was used to detect the PKB activity and the relative amounts of Bcl-xl protein in the left ventricular free walls.@*RESULTS@#After the daily intravenous injection of 3microg/kg recombinated neuregulin for 10 days, LVdP/dtmax increased significantly while BNP decreased remarkably. The apoptotic index was obviously lower, and Bcl-xl and activity of PKB were higher.@*CONCLUSION@#Neuregulin protects against rapid pacing-induced apoptosis in heart failure in rhesus monkeys and the mechanism might be attributed to the increase of the activity of PKB and Bcl-xl protein.