title: Effects of Chinese herbal medicine serum on the apoptosis of sinoatrial node cells induced by simulated ischemia-reperfusion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effect of Chinese herbal medicine Kangxin Fumai Granule ((see text) Granule for heart diseases) serum on the primary cultured sinoatrial node (SAN) cell apoptosis induced by simulated ischemia-reperfusion (IR).
  
  
  METHODS
  The SAN cells removed from SAN tissue of neonatal Wistar rats were cultured and purified with differential attachment and 5'-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) treatment. Simulated IR model was adopted. The obtained cells were morphologically observed with inverted microscopy. By using the method of serum pharmacology, the cell apoptosis was measured with TUNEL staining qualitatively and with flow cytometry quantitatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three kinds of cells were observed in the cultured SAN cells: spindle, triangle and irregular. The spindle cells comprised the greatest proportion. The SAN cells in the model group showed moderate positive brown staining in the nucleus, and the apoptosis rate increased significantly compared to that in the control group (P < 0.01). While the SAN cells in the Kangxin Fumai Granule high-dose group did not demonstrated positive staining in the nucleus, and the apoptosis rate decreased significantly compared to that in the model group (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Of the cells cultured from SAN, the spindle cells were pacemaker cells of SAN in rats. Blockade and/or inhibition of the SAN cell apoptosis might be one of the important mechanisms of Kangxin Fumai Granule in preventing and treating sinoatrial injury induced by simulated IR.
authors: Department of Cardiology, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100053, China. liuruxiu1@yahoo.com.cn
authors: Ru-Xiu
authors: RX
authors: Liu
authors: Shuang
authors: S
authors: Tan
authors: Min
authors: M
authors: Liu
authors: Jie
authors: J
authors: Peng
authors: Yan-Li
authors: YL
authors: Wang
authors: Zhi-Ming
authors: ZM
authors: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015427:Reperfusion Injury; D044967:Serum / Q000737:chemistry*; D012849:Sinoatrial Node / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C521630:Kangxin