Apelin-APJ effects of ginsenoside-Rb1 depending on hypoxia-induced factor 1α in hypoxia neonatal cardiomyocytes.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether ginsenoside-Rb1 (Gs-Rb1) inhibits the apoptosis of hypoxia cardiomyocytes by up-regulating apelin-APJ system and whether the system is affected by hypoxia-induced factor 1α (Hif-1α). METHODS: Neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were randomly divided into 6 groups: a control group, a simple CoCl group, a simple Gs-Rb1 group, a CoCl and Gs-Rb1 hypoxia group, a CoCl and 3-(5'-hydroxymethyl-2'-furyl)-1-benzylindazole (YC-1) group, a CoCl and YC-1 group and a Gs-Rb1 group, in which YC-1 inhibits the synthesis and accelerates the degradation of Hif-1a. The concentration of CoCl, Gs-Rb1 and YC-1 was 500 µmol/L, 200 µmol/L and 5 µmol/L, respectively; the apoptosis ratio was analyzed with a flow cytometer; and apelin, APJ and Hif-1α were assayed with immunocytochemistry, Western blot assays and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: (1) The anti-apoptosis effect of Gs-Rb1 on hypoxia cardiomyocytes was significantly inhibited by YC-1; (2) Hypoxia significantly up-graded the expression of mRNA and protein of apelin; this effect was further reinforced by Gs-Rb1 and significantly inhibited by YC-1; (3) Gs-Rb1 further strengthened the expression of APJ mRNA and APJ proteins once hypoxia occurred, which was significantly inhibited by YC-1; (4) Gs-Rb1 significantly increased the expression of Hif-1α, which was completely abolished by YC-1; (5) There was a negative relationship between AR and apelin (or APJ, including mRNA and protein), a positive correlation between apelin (or APJ) protein and Hif-1a protein, in hypoxia cardiomyocytes. CONCLUSION: The apelin-APJ system plays an important role in the anti-apoptosis effect of Gs-Rb1 on hypoxia neonatal cardiomyocytes, which was partly adjusted by Hif-1α.

[Prognostic value of acute heart block after alcohol septal ablation in patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prognostic value of acute heart block (AHB) after percutaneous transluminal septal myocardial ablation (PTSMA) in patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). METHODS: Ninety-four HOCM patients underwent PTSMA were included in this study. Twelve-lead electrocardiograms were obtained during and post PTSMA. Association between clinic events and incidence of post-PTSMA AHB was analyzed. RESULTS: AHB was induced in 26 patients by PTSMA and disappeared in 11 patients shortly post PTSMA, subacute intraventricular conduction disturbances was seen in 11 (42.3%), subacute I degrees AVB in 2 (7.7%) and subacute III degrees AVB in another 2 (7.7%) patients. Among 68 patients without AHB during PTSMA, intraventricular conduction disturbances was evidenced in 14 patients (20.6%), I degrees AVB in 2 (2.9%) and III degrees AVB in 1 patient (1.5%) after PTSMA. AHB patients with subacute heart block were associated with poor prognosis (conduction block duration was 42.00 h) while patients without AHB was associated with benign prognosis even with new onset of subacute heart block (conduction block duration was 7.33 h, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Patients with AHB during PTSMA are at higher risk for subacute heart block, especially intraventricular conduction disturbances. AHB patients with subacute heart block were associated with poor prognosis and longer recovery time of conducting system.

Percutaneous transluminal septal myocardial ablation for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy; The Chinese experience in 119 patients from a single center.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous transluminal septal myocardial ablation (PTSMA) has been introduced as an alternative treatment for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). We report on the acute, short- and long-term results of our experiences in 119 patients from a single center in China. METHODS AND RESULTS: PTSMA was performed in 119 patients with symptomatic HOCM (mean age 35.4+/-14.8 years, male 80, female 39). All patients had echocardiography performed prior to the procedure, 2-week post-PTSMA, and 6-month post-PTSMA, and 65 patients had echocardiography repeated at 2-year follow-up. The average left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) gradient was 67.3+/-7.8 mm Hg before the procedure, and 15.9+/-6.8 mm Hg after the procedure (p<0.05). The thickness of interventricular septum (IVS) was 23.3+/-5.6 mm before the procedure, 18.6+/-4.8 mm 2-week post-PTSMA (p<0.05), and 16.8+/-3.4 mm 6-month post-PTSMA in all of the patients, and 15.6+/-3.1 mm 2-year post-PTSMA in 65 patients. The mean width of LVOT was 6.7+/-2.0 mm before the procedure, 8.2+/-3.4 mm 2-week post-PTSMA (p<0.05), 13.7+/-6.3 mm 6-month post-PTSMA and 15.1+/-2.4 mm 2-year post-PTSMA. The incidence of right bundle branch block development post-PTSMA was 52.9%, and three patients (2.5%) had complete heart block. There was no death. CONCLUSIONS: PTSMA is a promising non-surgical procedure for symptomatic patients with HOCM because of its low risk and its significant hemodynamic, echocardiographic and clinical improvement. The significant therapeutic remodeling period was up to 6 months rather than 2 years following the procedure.

Experimental study of relationship between intracoronary alcohol injection and the size of resultant myocardial infarct.

BACKGROUND: Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) is a complex disease with unique pathophysiologic characteristics and a great diversity of morphologic,functional and clinical features. Percutaneous transluminal septal myocardial ablation (PTSMA) using alcohol injection via a catheter into the septal branch of the left anterior descending coronary artery has been recently introduced as a promising nonsurgical therapy for HOCM. However, the relationship between the volume and velocity of intracoronary injection of absolute alcohol and the size of the resultant myocardial infarct has not been investigated. We therefore studied such a relationship in piglets. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between the volume and velocity of selective intracoronary alcohol injection by means of a catheter and the size of the resultant myocardial infarction. METHODS: Twenty piglets were equally divided at random into four groups (n=5 in each) according to the volume and the velocity of intracoronary absolute alcohol injection and the coronary arteries injected. Group I: the volume and velocity of injection of alcohol into the left circumflex coronary artery (LCX) were 0.5 ml and 0.2 ml/s, respectively. Group II: the volume and velocity of injection into LCX were 2.0 ml and 0.2 ml/s, respectively. Group III: the volume and velocity of injection of alcohol into the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) were 1.2 ml and 0.06 ml/s, respectively. Group IV: the volume and velocity of injection into the LAD were 1.2 ml and 1.2 ml/s, respectively. The resultant myocardial infarcts were then quantitatively measured 6 h after myocardial ablation. RESULTS: The myocardial infarct size for group I was 4.26+/-2.71(%), for group II was 10.12+/-4.55(%), for group III was 5.84+/-1.21(%) and for group IV was 7.11+/-1.63(%). There were significant differences in myocardial infarct size with different volumes of intracoronary absolute alcohol injection (0.02