[Effects of Astragalus membranaccus on cardiac function and SERCA2a gene expression in myocardial tissues of rats with chronic heart failure].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of Astragalus membranaccus (As) on cardiac function and SERCA2a gene expression in left ventricular tissues of rats with chronic heart failure.


METHODS
Heart failure was induced by clipping the abdominal aorta 60 male SD rats were divided into four groups: sham-operated (Sham), aortic stenosis (Model), Model + As (20 g/kg) and Model + Captopril (0.05 g/kg). The drugs were administered orally from the 13th week after surgery. Rats were examined after 12 weeks' treatment with drugs. The parameters of hemodynamics including LVSP, LVEDP, and +/- LVdp/dt(max) were measured. SERCA2a mRNA and protein expressions in left ventricular tissues were determined by half-quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot normalized to abundance of GAPDH mRNA and portein, respectively.


RESULTS
LVSP and LVEDP were obviously enhanced (P < 0.01 or P < 0.001) in model rats in vivo. Both Captopril and As prevented the increase of LVSP (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01) and LVEDP (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). RT-PCR and Western blot results demonstrated that SERCA2a gene expression was downregulated (P < 0.05) significantly in model group compared with sham group. As upregulated SERCA2a gene expression (P < 0.05), whereas Captopril had no effect on that.


CONCLUSIONS
As can ameliorate abnormity of cardiac function, especially diastoilc function in rats with pressure overload-induced heart failure, and that may be partly related to its up-regulation of SERCA2a gene expressions in left ventricular tissues.
Su
Dan
D
Medical College of Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China. sudandan@163.com
Yan
Hao-ran
HR
Zhang
Bei-bei
BB
Wu
Da-zheng
DZ
Dai
Ya-lei
YL
D000818:Animals; D027885:Astragalus propinquus / Q000737:chemistry; D002216:Captopril / Q000494:pharmacology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D053498:Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Calcium-Transporting ATPases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D002216:Captopril; D053498:Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Calcium-Transporting ATPases