title: [Effects of carvedilol on cardiomyocyte apoptosis in autoimmune myocarditis in mice].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the effects of carvedilol on the expression of Bcl-2, Bax and Fas in autoimmune myocarditis (AM).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 60 inbred male BALB/C mice 4 - 5 weeks of age were divided at random into 3 groups as follows: AM group (n = 20), carvedilol group (n = 20) and control group (n = 20). The mice were sacrificed after gathering blood specimens by taking out the eyeballs and hearts tissue. The histological and ultrastructural changes were observed under light microscope and electron microscope. The concentrations of cardiac troponin I (cTn I) were detected by chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA). Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed to analyze the contents of Bcl-2, Bax and Fas, TUNEL to detect the apoptotic index in myocardial cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were large number of lymphocyte and monocyte infiltrates under light microscope and karyopyknosis and chromatin gathered along the nuclear membrane under electron microscope in AM group. There were no inflammations and chromatin gathering in group C. Compared with control group, the Bcl-2, Bax and Fas protein expression significantly elevated in AM group (23.48 ± 2.24 vs. 6.64 ± 1.60, 26.15 ± 2.02 vs. 5.09 ± 0.85, 21.22 ± 3.62 vs. 5.86 ± 1.37, P < 0.01). The histopathologic scores (2.60 ± 0.31 vs. 2.02 ± 0.26, P < 0.05) and karyopyknosis of carvedilol group decreased as compared with AM group. The Bcl-2, Bax and Fas protein expression (17.13 ± 1.94 vs. 23.48 ± 2.24, 17.66 ± 2.62 vs. 26.15 ± 2.02, 16.79 ± 2.83 vs. 21.22 ± 3.62, P < 0.05), AI [(16.61 ± 4.67)% vs. (24.51 ± 4.70)%, P < 0.05] and contents of cTnI [(1.878 ± 0.48) ng/ml vs. (1.102 ± 0.23) ng/ml, P < 0.05] also decreased in carvedilol group compared with AM group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Carvedilol could protect against AM by alleviating cardiomyocyte apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou 325000, China.
authors.forename: Rong-zhou
authors.initials: RZ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Hui-ping
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Zhen-quan
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Rong
authors.forename: Jian-bin
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Hui-xian
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ru-lian
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Xiang
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002227:Carbazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077261:Carvedilol; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D011412:Propanolamines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; C494827:Bax protein, mouse; D002227:Carbazoles; C491899:Fas protein, mouse; D011412:Propanolamines; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D019014:fas Receptor; D000077261:Carvedilol; C052617:Bcl2 protein, mouse