title: Cardioprotection with the parrodiene 2,4,6-octatrienal and its potassium salt through activation of the Akt-Bcl-2 survival pathway.
abstract: A study was undertaken to determine the cardioprotective effects of parrodienes prepared from the feather pigments of parrots (Ara macao). Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three experimental groups and perfused with KHB buffer with or without treatment of 2,4,6-octatrienal (1) (50 mM) or its potassium salt (2) (50 mM). All hearts were then subjected to 30 min ischemia followed by a 2 h reperfusion. Ischemia/reperfusion resulted in a significant amount of tissue injury, cardiomyocyte apoptosis, and depression in hemodynamic functions. Parrodiene treatment prevented the development of myocardial injury after ischemia/reperfusion. Western blot analysis indicated that 1 and 2 reduced the oxidative stress, induced the expression of Bcl-2, and caused increased phosphorylation of Akt. These agents also reduced myocardial ischemic reperfusion injury presumably by reducing oxidative stress and activating the survival signal through the Akt-Bcl-2 pathway.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut 06030, USA.
authors.forename: Subhendu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
authors.forename: Diptarka
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ray
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Falchi
authors.forename: Aldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bertelli
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pini
authors.forename: Dipak K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Das