title: Effects of rhodiola crenulata on mice hearts under severe sleep apnea.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The goal of this study is to determine if Rhodiola Crenulata (RC) has protective effects on mice hearts with severe sleep apnea model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-four C57BL/6 J mice 5-6 months old were distributed into 4 groups i.e. Control group (21% O2, 24 h per day, 8 weeks, n=16); Hypoxia group (Hypoxia: 7% O2 60 s, 20% O2 alternating 60 s, 8 h per day, 8 weeks, n=16); Hypoxia+90RC and Hypoxia+270RC group (Hypoxia for 1st 4 weeks and hypoxia pretreated 90 mg/Kg and 270 mg/Kg Rhodiola Crenulata by oral gavage per day for 2nd 4 weeks, each n=16). Excised hearts from 4 groups of mice were analyzed for heart weight index changes using H&E staining, TUNEL-positive assays and Western Blotting protein.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cardiac widely dispersed TUNEL-positive apoptotic cells in mice hearts were less in Hypoxia+RC90 and Hypoxia+RC270 than those in Hypoxia. Compared with Hypoxia, the protein levels of Fas ligand, Fas death receptors, Fas-Associated Death Domain (FADD), activated caspase 8, and activated caspase 3 (Fas dependent apoptotic pathways) were decreased in Hypoxia+RC90, Hypoxia+RC270. The protein levels of Bad, Bax, t-Bid, activated caspase 9, activated caspase 3 (mitochondria dependent apoptotic pathway) were less in Hypoxia+RC90, Hypoxia+RC270 than those in hypoxia. The protein levels of Bcl2, Bcl-xL, p-Bad (Bcl2-realted anti-apoptotic pathway) and VEGF, p-PI3k, p-AKT (VEGF-related pro-survival pathway) were higher in Hypoxia+RC90, Hypoxia+RC270 than those in hypoxia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that Rhodiola Crenulata have protective effects on chronic intermittent hypoxia-induced cardiac widely dispersed apoptosis via Fas-dependent and mitochondria-dependent apoptotic and VEGF-related pro-survival pathway.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan. foxomla@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mei-Chih
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan. jglin@mail.cmu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Jaung-Geng
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China Medical University and Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. pai119@seed.net.tw.
authors.forename: Pei-Ying
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Pai
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Master Program, Hungkuang University, Taichung, Taiwan. g8805001@sunrise.hk.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Mei-Hsin
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan. yuemin0607@yahoo.com.tw.|Department of Medical Technology, Jen-The Junior College of Medicine, Nursing and Management, Miaoli, Taiwan. yuemin0607@yahoo.com.tw.
authors.forename: Yueh-Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan. 1867@cc.org.tw.|Department of Medical Technology, Jen-The Junior College of Medicine, Nursing and Management, Miaoli, Taiwan. 1867@cc.org.tw.
authors.forename: Yu-Lan
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan. cheng@asia.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Shiu-Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy and Graduate Institute of Rehabilitation Science, China Medical University, No. 91, Hsueh-Shih Road, Taichung, Taiwan. loveelfa@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Yi-fan
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan. cyhuang@mail.cmu.edu.tw.|Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University and Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. cyhuang@mail.cmu.edu.tw.|Department of Health and Nutrition Biotechnology, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan. cyhuang@mail.cmu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Chih-Yang
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China Medical University and Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. shinda@mail.cmu.edu.tw.|Department of Physical Therapy and Graduate Institute of Rehabilitation Science, China Medical University, No. 91, Hsueh-Shih Road, Taichung, Taiwan. shinda@mail.cmu.edu.tw.|Department of Healthcare Administration, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan. shinda@mail.cmu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Shin-Da
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D053200:Fas-Associated Death Domain Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects*; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D000860:Hypoxia; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D029771:Rhodiola; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C505534:Fadd protein, mouse; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D053200:Fas-Associated Death Domain Protein; D010936:Plant Extracts; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D019014:fas Receptor; C467480:vascular endothelial growth factor A, mouse; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D020169:Caspases