Tongxinluo exerts protective effects via anti-apoptotic and pro-autophagic mechanisms by activating AMPK pathway in infarcted rat hearts.
What is the central question of this study? In a rat model of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), we investigated the effect of Tongxinluo (TXL) treatment. Does TXL activate autophagy and attenuate apoptosis of cardiomyocytes through the AMPK pathway to facilitate survival of cardiomyocytes and improve cardiac function? What is the main finding and its importance? Major findings are as follows: (i) TXL treatment preserved cardiac function and reduced ventricular remodelling, infarct size and inflammation in rat hearts after AMI; (ii) TXL treatment dramatically increased autophagy and inhibited apoptosis in myocardium; and (iii) the AMPK signalling pathway played a crucial role in mediating the beneficial effects of TXL. Tongxinluo (TXL) has been demonstrated to have a protective role during ischaemia-reperfusion after acute myocardial infarction, but the long-term effects and underlying mechanisms are still unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate whether TXL could have an effect on apoptosis or autophagy of cardiomyocytes through the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 75) were randomly divided to sham, control, TXL (4 mg kg-1day-1orally), compound C (i.p. injection of 10 mg kg-1day-1) and TXL + compound C groups. The extent of fibrosis, infarct size and angiogenesis were determined by pathological and histological studies. Four weeks after acute myocardial infarction, TXL treatment significantly increased ejection fraction, promoted angiogenesis in the peri-infarct region and substantially decreased fibrosis and the size of the infarcted area (P < 0.05). Treatment with TXL also increased AMPK/mTOR phosphorylation, upregulated expression of the autophagic protein LC3 and downregulated expression of the apoptotic protein Bax in the infarcted myocardium (P < 0.05). Addition of the AMPK inhibitor, compound C, counteracted these beneficial effects significantly (P < 0.05). The cardioprotective benefits of TXL against myocardial infarction are related to the inhibition of apoptosis and promotion of autophagy in rat hearts after acute myocardial infarction. This effect may occur through the AMPK signalling pathway.
State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100037, People's Republic of China.
Qing
Q
Li
State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100037, People's Republic of China.
Na
N
Li
State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100037, People's Republic of China.
He-He
HH
Cui
State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100037, People's Republic of China.
Xia-Qiu
XQ
Tian
State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100037, People's Republic of China.
Chen
C
Jin
State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100037, People's Republic of China.
Gui-Hao
GH
Chen
State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100037, People's Republic of China.
Yue-Jin
0000-0002-3773-4433
YJ
Yang
D055372:AMP-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001343:Autophagy / Q000187:drug effects*; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D015428:Myocardial Reperfusion Injury / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D020011:Protective Agents; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; C513941:tongxinluo; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases; D055372:AMP-Activated Protein Kinases
AMPK; Tongxinluo; acute myocardial infarction; apoptosis; autophagy