title: N-Acetyl Cysteine Inhibits Endothelin-1-Induced ROS Dependent Cardiac Hypertrophy through Superoxide Dismutase Regulation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Oxidative stress down regulates antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase (SOD) and contributes to the development of cardiac hypertrophy. N-Acetyl cysteine (NAC) can enhance the SOD activity, so the aim of this study is to highlight the inhibitory role of NAC against endothelin-1 (ET-1)-induced cardiac hypertrophy.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this experimental study at QAU from January, 2013 to March, 2013. ET-1 (50 µg/kg) and NAC (50 mg/kg) were given intraperitoneally to 6-day old neonatal rats in combination or alone. All rats were sacrificed 15 days after the final injection. Histological analysis was carried out to observe the effects caused by both drugs. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) analysis and SOD assay were also carried out. Expression level of hyper- trophic marker, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), was detected by western blotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our findings showed that ET-1-induced cardiac hypertrophy leading towards heart failure was due to the imbalance of different parameters including free radical-induced oxidative stress and antioxidative enzymes such as SOD. Furthermore NAC acted as an antioxidant and played inhibitory role against ROS-dependent hypertrophy via regulatory role of SOD as a result of oxidative response associated with hypertrophy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ET-1-induced hypertrophic response is associated with increased ROS production and decreased SOD level, while NAC plays a role against free radicals-induced oxidative stress via SOD regulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Sobia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mushtaq
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Tahir
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Qamar
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Javed
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Sobia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tabassum
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Iram
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Murtaza
keywords: Cardiac Hypertrophy; Endothelin-1; Oxidative Stress; Reactive Oxygen Species; Superoxide Dismutase