缺氧诱导心肌细胞凋亡与Caspase-3激活及细胞内钙超载的关系

目的: 研究缺氧对心肌细胞Caspases的激活效应与细胞内钙的关系.方法: 将培养的心肌细胞暴露于95% N2/5% CO2混合气体培养室进行缺氧处理,缺氧0、30 min、1、3、6、12、24 h后,应用激光共聚焦显微镜检测缺氧早期心肌细胞胞浆游离钙的变化;应用细胞内钙螯合剂、Caspase-1与Caspase-3特异性抑制剂预处理心肌细胞后缺氧12 h,检测DNA片段化与Caspase-3活性;Western blot、RT-PCR方法分别检测细胞线粒体与胞浆中Cyt c蛋白的变化以及Caspase-3 mRNA表达的改变.结果: 缺氧后30 min心肌细胞胞浆游离钙即显著增高,1 h达到峰值.缺氧3 h线粒体Cyt c无显著变化,而胞浆中Cyt c开始增多,至缺氧12 h,线粒体中Cyt c仅见一弱阳性条带,而胞浆呈强阳性反应,缺氧24 h 线粒体中已不能检测到Cyt c.缺氧3 h心肌细胞Caspase-3 mRNA上调,在观察的24 h内持续处于高表达状态.分别应用Caspase-3抑制剂和细胞内钙螯合剂预处理心肌细胞后均可使心肌细胞Caspase-3活性降低并完全阻断DNA片段化发生,细胞内钙螯合剂与Caspase-3抑制剂联合应用使凋亡细胞百分率降低的程度比分别单独使用两者更明显.结论: 缺氧可致心肌细胞线粒体Cyt c释放至胞浆,导致Caspase途径激活,从而导致细胞凋亡.缺氧所致心肌细胞钙超载在时序上早于线粒体Cyt c释放与Caspase-3的激活,螯合细胞内钙可阻断缺氧诱导的Caspase-3激活,并拮抗心肌细胞凋亡的发生,因此细胞钙超载是启动线粒体Cyt c释放与Caspase-3激活的一个早期重要分子事件.

Relationship between hypoxia-induced apoptosis and caspases-3 activation, intracellular calcium overload in cardiomyocytes

Aim: To explore the effects of hypoxia on Caspases activation in cardiomyocyte and role of intracellular calcium in this event in cardiomyocytes. Methods: After hypoxia 0 min,30 min, 1 h, 3 h, 6 h, 12 h, 24 h, apoptotic cell percentage was determined with Hoechst 33342 straining. Expressions of Caspases-3 mRNA and release of mitochondrial cytochrome c in primary culture of cardiomyocytes were determined by using RT-PCR and Western blotting respectively. Results: Elevation of Cyt c in cytosol was in accordance with the decline in mitochondrial Cyt c content. Significant increase in Cyt c in cytosol appeared at 12 h post hypoxia and peaked at 24 h while Cyt c in mitochondria could not be detected at 24 h post hypoxia. Hypoxia up-regulated Caspases-3 mRNA expressions beginning at 3 h post hypoxia. Intracellular calcium overload occured earlier than release of mitochondrial Cyt c and the activation of Caspase-3 during the hypoxic insult. Inhibition of Caspase-3 activation and pretreatment with calcium chelator BAPTA/AM offered a marked protective effect on hypoxia induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Conclusion: Hypoxia can induce mitochondrion-dependent Caspase-3 activation in cardiomyocytes and therefore leads to cell apoptosis. Increase of intracellular Ca 2+ plays an important role in the activation of Caspase-3 and the induction of apoptosis in cardiomyocytes.