[Effect of danshen injection on adult cardiac stem cell transplantation in myocardial infarction mice].
OBJECTIVE
To study the effect of combined use of Danshen Injection (Dl) on acute myocardial infarction (AMI) mice undergoing adult cardiac stem cell transplantation.


METHODS
Thirty mice were randomly divided into 3 groups, 10 in each group, i.e., the high dose Dl group (at the daily dose of 5 g/kg) , the low dose Dl group (at the daily dose of 0. 5 g/kg), and the model control group. The AMI model was constructed by surgical ligation of the left anterior descending artery, and 2 x 10(6) -3 x 10(6) cardiac stem cells in vitro cultured were injected to the peripheral infracted zone immediately after successful modeling. All mice were administered with Dl by gastrogavage one week before myocardial infarction (Ml) and one week after Ml. Mice were sacrificed one week after Ml. Immunostaining was performed. The microvessel density (MVD) was detected using CD31 . The cell proliferation was detected using Ki67. The myocardial fibrosis degree was detected using Masson staining. The cell apoptosis of peripheral infracted zone was detected by TUNEL. Protein expressions of Akt and phospho-Akt were detected using Western blot.


RESULTS
MVD and Ki67 positive cell number increased more in the high dose DI group than in the low dose DI group and the model control group (P < 0.05). The myocardial fibrosis degree and the cell apoptosis of peripheral infracted zone significantly decreased in the high dose DI group than in the low dose DI group and the model control group (P <0. 05). The phospho-Akt expression level significantly increased in the high dose DI group than in the low dose DI group and the model control group (P < 0.05). Compared with the model control group, the total Akt level significantly increased in the high dose and low dose DI groups (P < 0.05). But there was no statistical difference the high dose DI group and the low dose DI group (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Treating AMI by adult cardiac stem cell transplantation combined with DI could increase the MVD and cell proliferation, reduce cell apoptosis and fibrosis levels, thus improving the transplantation efficiency of adult cardiac stem cells.
Cardiology, Clinical College of Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing (210008), China.
Hong-song
HS
Yu
Department of Cardiology, Affiliated Gulou Hospital, Nanjing University Medical school, Nanjing (210008), China.
Lin
L
Ling
Department of Cardiology, Affiliated Gulou Hospital, Nanjing University Medical school, Nanjing (210008), China.
Jun
J
Xie
First Clinical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing (210046), China.
Hong
H
Jiang
Department of Cardiology, Affiliated Gulou Hospital, Nanjing University Medical school, Nanjing (210008), China.
Guang-fei
GF
Shi
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000628:therapy*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D027561:Salvia miltiorrhiza / Q000737:chemistry*; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C028972:dan-shen root extract