Baicalin ameliorates isoproterenol-induced acute myocardial infarction through iNOS, inflammation, oxidative stress and P38MAPK pathway in rat.

Baicalin is one of the active ingredients in the skullcap, with a variety of pharmacological effects, such as blood pressure reduction, sedation, liver-protection, gallbladder-protection, anti-bacteria, anti-inflammation, etc. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential cardioprotective effects of baicalin ameliorates isoproterenol-induced acute myocardial infarction (AMI) through inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), inflammation, oxidative stress and P38MAPK passageway in rat. Rat model of AMI was induced by isoproterenol (100 mg/kg) and then treated baicalin (various does of baicalin: 1 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg, respectively) for 24 h. Infarct size, the heart weight to body weight ratio and creatine kinase (CK), the MB isoenzyme of creatine kinase (CK-MB), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and cardiac troponin T (cTnT) of rats with AMI induced by isoproterenol were used to evaluate curative effect of baicalin on AMI. Meanwhile, iNOS and phosphorylation-p38 MAPK (p-p38) protein expressions, inflammatory factor and oxidative stress were inspected using western blot and commercial kits, respectively. In the present study, pre-treatment with baicalin (10 or 100 mg/kg) significantly ameliorated infarct size, the heart weight to body weight ratio and CK, CK-MB, LDH and cTnT levels in rats with AMI induced by isoproterenol. iNOS protein expression, the serum TNF-α, IL-6, MDA and SOD levels and p-38 protein expressions were significantly suppressed by treatment with baicalin (10 or 100 mg/kg). These results suggest that acute treatment with baicalin ameliorates AMI, iNOS, inflammation, oxidative stress and P38MAPK pathway in rat with AMI induced by isoproterenol.

[Role of protein kinase C-delta in hyperthermia-induced apoptosis in tongue squamous cell carcinoma Tca8113 cells].

OBJECTIVE: To study the role of protein kinase C-delta (PKC-delta) in hyperthermia-induced apoptosis in human tongue squamous cell carcinoma Tca8113 cells. METHODS: Tca8113 cells were treated at 43 degrees C in a heating water bath for 0, 40, 80, 120 min after pretreatment with Rottlerin, a specific inhibitor of PKC-delta, and equal volume dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) for 30 min, respectively. The cells were stained by propidium iodide (PI) and Rhodamine 123 to analysis apoptotic rate and the changes of mitochondrial transmembrane potential by flow cytometry (FCM). The total proteins were extracted for Western blotting analysis of activation and proteolysis of PKC-delta, and for colorimetric assay of relative activity of Caspase-3. RESULTS: Hyperthermia could induce proteolysis and activation of PKC-delta, and this was attenuated by Rottlerin. Apoptotic rate, decreasing of mitochondrial transmembrane potential and activity of Caspase-3 which being induced by hyperthermia in Tca8113 cells were inhibited by PKC-delta specific inhibitor Rottlerin. There were significantly statistical differences in apoptosis rates, mitochondrial transmembrane potential and activity of Caspase-3 between Rottlerin- and non-Rottlerin-pretreated cells after hyperthermia for 40, 80, 120 min (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Activated PKC-delta may facilitate hyperthermia-induced apoptosis in Tca8113 cells, and may be one of the mechanisms of apoptosis induced by hyperthermia.