Cytosolic-Ca2+ and coxsackievirus B3-induced apoptosis in cultured cardiomyocytes of rats.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the role of cytosolic free calcium ([Ca2+]i) in apoptosis induced by coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) in cultured cardiomyocytes of rats.


METHODS
Primary cultured cardiomyocyte was prepared from Wistar rats ages 2-3 d. The apoptosis in cardiomyocyte was determined by terminated deoxynucleotide transferase directed d-UTP nick and end labeling (TUNEL) method, and the apoptosis was observed under a transmission electron microscope. [Ca2+]i in single cardiomyocyte loaded with Fluo 3-AM was measured by confocal microsorope.


RESULTS
(1) The concentration of CVB3 in the medium reached the peak at 24 h after CVB3 infection. (2) The apoptotic cells were not found in CVB3-infected cardiomyocyte in first 10 h, but amounted to 5% at 17 h, 60% at 24 h, and 90% at 36 h. (3) The peak value of [Ca2+]i elevation reached at 17 h after CVB3 infection (P < 0.01). (4) The characteristics of apoptosis was also seen by transmission electron microscope.


CONCLUSIONS
CVB3 induced the apoptosis in cultured cardiomyocyte, and [Ca2+]i mobilization was involved in the signal transduction process in apoptosis cells, and played an important role especially in the early stage of apoptosis induced by CVB3.
Li
B Y
BY
Department of Pharmacology, Harbin Medical University, China. liby@ems.hrbmu.edu.cn
Qiao
G F
GF
Zhou
H
H
Li
W H
WH
Huang
Z G
ZG
Zhou
L W
LW
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D017209:Apoptosis; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D029822:Enterovirus B, Human / Q000472:pathogenicity; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D009206:Myocardium / Q000166:cytology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D002118:Calcium