早期心肌梗死后诊断若干免疫组织化学指标的敏感性比较

为探讨纤维连接蛋白（Fn),纤维蛋白原（Fg),补体（C5）,肌红蛋白（Mb),肌动蛋白（HHF35）,结蛋白（Dm)六种指标在诊断早期心肌梗死的敏感性,建立大鼠急性心肌缺血模型。应用免疫组织化学方法和图像分析与统计学处理系统,检测缺血心肌细胞内Mb,HHF35,Dm的缺失面积和Fn,Fg,C5的阳性反应面积。结果：Mb,HHF35,Dm在大鼠急性心肌缺血15min即可出现缺失,Fg,C5在心肌缺血15min即可出现阳性反应,而Ｆn直到心肌缺血３h才出现阳性反应,随缺血时间m,HHF35,Mb的缺失面积和Ｆg,C５,Ｆn的阳性反应面积逐步增大。表明Dm,HHF35,Mb,Fg,C5是反映早期心肌梗死的灵敏的形态学指标。Fn的敏感性不及前五种指标。     

依达拉奉通过JNK对大鼠离体心肌缺血再灌注损伤的保护作用

目的:研究依达拉奉(Edaravone)对大鼠离体心肌缺血再灌注损伤的保护作用.方法:将54只SD大鼠随机分为3组,包括对照组(control group),缺血再灌注组(I/R group),依达拉奉组(Ed group).灌注液为K-H液,37℃下建立心肌缺血再灌注模型,预灌注15min,缺血30min,再灌注40 min,分别测量①复灌20和40min时心功能指标:心率(HR)、左室收缩压(LVDP)、左室舒张末压(LVEDP)、心室内压最大变化速率(±dp/dtmax),②复灌20和40 min时肌酸激酶(CK)和乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)活性,③复灌40 min时超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性和和丙二醛(MDA)浓度,④复灌40min时心肌梗死面积,⑤复灌40min时心肌组织中JNK的磷酸化水平.结果:①依达拉奉组的±dp/dtmax明显回升(P<0.05),同时LVEDP、LVDP等指标也有明显改善(P<0.05);②再灌注40min时,与缺血再灌注组比,依达拉奉明显降低LDH和CK;③依达拉奉能显著降低MDA浓度,同时提高SOD水平(P<0.05);④依达拉奉组心肌梗死面积小于缺血再灌注组(P<0.05);⑤依达拉奉降低缺血心肌组织中磷酸化JNK的水平(P<0.05).结论:依达拉奉可以改善缺血心肌的血流动力学,增加心肌收缩力,减少心肌梗死面积;能发挥清除氧自由基,扭转氧化与抗氧化平衡系统失调的作用;其对离体心肌缺血再灌注的保护作用可能与JNK途径密切相关.     

白鲜皮水提物对大鼠心肌缺血再灌注损伤的保护作用

目的研究白鲜皮水提物对大鼠心肌缺血再灌注损伤的保护作用。方法 Wistar大鼠随机分为假手术组,模型组,阳性药组(地奥心血康)及白鲜皮低、中、高剂量组(白鲜皮水提物0.128、0.64、1.28 g/kg),每组6只。结扎冠状动脉左前降支制备大鼠心肌缺血再灌注损伤模型,观察给药后大鼠心电图ST段的改变,测量心肌梗死面积,观察大鼠心肌组织病理形态,检测大鼠血清CK,SOD活性、MDA含量。结果白鲜皮中、高剂量组给药后能明显减少心肌梗死面积,明显降低缺血30 min和再灌注120 min时ST段的抬高,并能降低大鼠血清中MDA含量,升高SOD活性,减少因缺血导致的心肌组织病理损害。结论白鲜皮水提物对大鼠心肌缺血再灌注损伤具有保护作用,其作用机制可能与保护心肌细胞功能、提高心肌抗氧化能力、清除氧自由基有关。     

ATP敏感性钾通道、酪氨酸激酶和NF-κB参与高铁血红素诱导的大鼠心肌保护作用

通过诱导血红素氧化酶1(Hemeoxygenase1,HO1)可增强大鼠对抗心肌缺血复灌损伤。本文探讨线粒体ATP敏感性钾通道(MitochondrialATPsensitivepotassiumchannel,mitoKATP)、酪氨酸激酶(Proteintyrosinekinases,PTK)和核因子κB(NuclearfactorkappaB,NFκB)是否参与其中。SD大鼠腹腔注射HO1的诱导剂高铁血红素(hemin)50mg/kg,24h后取离体心脏给予30min缺血和120min复灌。结果发现,hemin可改善缺血-复灌(Ischemiareperfusion,IS)心脏的收缩功能,缩小心肌梗死面积;而HO1的抑制剂ZnPP可抑制hemin引起的HO1活性增加,并抵消hemin诱导的心肌保护作用。在腹腔注射hemin前给予mitoKATP通道阻断剂5HD(5mg/kg),与hemin IS组相比,心脏的收缩功能明显下降,心肌梗死面积增大,LDH和CK释放增加。而在hemin预处理后24h,30min缺血前给予5HD灌流(100μmol/L)同样可阻断hemin诱导的心肌保护作用。hemin诱导的心肌保护作用亦可被PTK抑制剂genistein(10μmol/L)或NFκB抑制剂PDTC(100μmol/L)所取消。结果提示:hemin可诱导心肌HO1增加,保护心肌缺血-复灌性损伤,其作用可能与PTK和NFκB的激活有关,而mitoKATP通道在hemin诱导的心肌保护作用中可能扮演了启动因子和终末效应器双重角色。     

后适应缺血时间窗的选择对小鼠心肌再灌注损伤的影响

目的 探讨后适应对小鼠心肌再灌注损伤的影响以及不同缺血时间窗的后适应心脏保护作用的差异 .方法 96只成年C57/BL小鼠随机分为缺血时间30、45 min和60 min的三组,每组又分为后适应和缺血再灌注两种处理.通过开胸结扎左冠状动脉造成急性心肌梗死 ,在完全再灌注早期给予反复短暂再通/闭塞的缺血后适应.采用Evans blue和TTC染色的方法确定缺血心肌和梗死心肌面积,并测定血清的心肌酶含量、心肌超氧化物歧化酶 (SOD) 活性与丙二醛 (MDA) 水平以及血流动力学指标.结果 缺血30 min后适应组、缺血45 min后适应组心肌梗死面积分别比相同缺血时间的再灌注对照组减少53.1%和31.2%,差异均具有统计学意义(P<0.01),缺血后适应可明显降低血清心肌酶、提高心肌SOD的活性以及改善血流动力学的恶化;缺血60 min后适应组梗死心肌面积无明显降低, 差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05).结论 小鼠心肌处于轻中度水平的缺血损伤,在恢复冠脉血流的早期施行缺血后适应可以有效地减少心肌再灌注损伤,但随着缺血时间的延长,心肌保护作用就明显减弱或消失.     

雷米普利与BQ-123合用对大鼠在体心肌缺血／再灌注损伤的保护作用

目的：研究雷米普利与BQ-123合用对大鼠在体心肌缺血／再灌注损伤的影响。方法：健康雄性Wistar大鼠随机分为5组,制备缺血30min再灌注120min模型,采用雷米普利、BQ-123单用及两药联合应用的方式处理实验动物。观察两药合用对大鼠在体心肌缺血／再灌注损伤的保护作用。观察动物心率、血压、心电图ST-段变化,记录缺血期室性心律失常;检测血浆CK及LDH活力;心肌HE染色和TIC染色,定性和定量检测心肌梗死情况。结果：与I／R组比较,各给药组ST-段均明显降低;缺血期室性心律失常（VA）出现时间明显推迟且持续时间明显缩短,联合给药组作用更为显著;心律失常发生率明显降低;血浆CK及LDH活力显著降低且联合给药组降低更为显著;梗死面积明显缩小,心肌损伤程度明显减轻,其中联合给药组变化更为显著。结论：雷米普利、BQ-123单用及联合应用均对大鼠在体心肌缺血／再灌注损伤有保护作用,且两药合用在推迟缺血期VA的出现时间,缩短其持续时间,减少CK及LDH漏出,缩小心肌梗死面积方面优于两药各自单用。     

NOS和PKC参与高铁血红素对心肌缺血/再灌注的防护作用

目的：研究NOS和PKC在高铁血红素对抗心肌缺血／复灌损伤中的作用。方法：采用离体大鼠心脏Lan-gendorff灌流模型,观察心脏收缩功能、心肌梗死面积和酶学指标的变化。结果：腹腔注射高铁血红素（50mg／kg）后24h,可明显改善缺血／复灌心脏（30min缺血,2h复灌）的收缩功能,减少复灌期LDH和CK释放,缩小心肌梗死面积。在腹腔注射高铁血红素前给予一氧化氮合酶（NOS）的抑制剂LNAME可抑制高铁血红素对心肌损伤的防护作用。而蛋白激酶C（PKC）的抑制剂chelerythrine亦可阻断高铁血红素引发的心肌保护作用。结论：高铁血红素可通过激活NOS和PKC,对抗心肌缺血／复灌性损伤。     

重复远程缺血后适应对急性缺血心肌中骨髓间充质干细胞移植的影响

目的探讨在大鼠急性心肌缺血模型中重复远程缺血后适应对骨髓间充质干细胞(MSC)经心肌注射移植存留率的影响。方法结扎成年雌性SD大鼠的左前降支诱导心肌缺血。雄性SD大鼠来源的骨髓MSC培养至第三代。大鼠缺血30 min后开放结扎的冠状动脉,并经缺血心肌边缘注射4×106个骨髓间充质细胞。60只心肌缺血大鼠随机平均分为再灌注对照(IR)组、远程缺血后适应(RIPo C)组、重复远程缺血后适应(r RIPo C)组和CXCR4抗体拮抗(CXCR4-Ab)组。远程缺血后适应在后肢上实行4个周期5 min缺血和再灌注。重复远程缺血后适应在后肢上每3 d实行4个周期5 min缺血和再灌注。CXCR4抗体拮抗(CXCR4-Ab)组在行r RIPo C前经腹腔注射CXCR4特异的抗体。1个月以后,进行心功能评价、免疫组化寻找标记的细胞、聚合酶联反应检测Y染色体拷贝数计算心肌中细胞存留率,采用方差分析和独立t检验进行统计学分析。结果重复远程缺血后适应的细胞移植组显著改善缺血心脏的左室短轴缩短分数[r RIPo C(25.90±4.33)﹪,RIPo C(20.60±3.50)﹪,IR(16.60±3.20)﹪,CXCR4-Ab(20.00±3.23)﹪,F=11.422,P=0.000]和左室收缩末期内径[r RIPo C(5.24±0.51)mm,RIPo C(5.77±0.44)mm,IR(6.15±0.33)mm,CXCR4-Ab(5.78±0.33)mm,F=8.159,P=0.000]。免疫组化发现重复远程缺血后适应组的心脏内细胞滞留率更高,PCR检测MSC滞留比例[r RIPo C(2.33±0.46)﹪,RIPo C(1.85±0.50)﹪,IR(1.42±0.27)﹪,F=8.189,P=0.000];特异CXCR4抗体阻断降低重复远程缺血后适应诱导的心脏内高细胞滞留率[r RIPo C(2.33±0.46)﹪,CXCR4-Ab(1.82±0.36)﹪,n=10,P=0.014]和心脏收缩功能改善[r RIPo C(25.90±4.33)﹪,CXCR4-Ab(20.00±3.23)﹪,P=0.003]。结论重复远程缺血后适应较单次远程缺血后适应提高经心肌注射移植的骨髓MSC在心脏中的移植存留率。CXCR4受体在重复远程缺血后适应后期诱导的心肌高移植存留率中发挥重要作用。     

降钙素基因相关肽在离体大鼠心肌缺血后处理中的作用

目的:观察降钙素基因相关肽(CGRP)在离体大鼠心肌缺血后处理保护中的作用。方法:采用离体大鼠全心停灌心肌缺血复灌模型。测定心室动力学指标、复灌各时间点冠脉流出液中乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)含量和心肌组织formazan含量的变化。结果:与缺血/复灌组相比,缺血后处理组明显增加心脏formazan含量,降低冠脉流出液中LDH含量,促进左室发展压、左室做功和冠脉流量的恢复。CGRP受体阻断剂CGRP-(8-37)和线粒体ATP敏感性钾通道阻断剂5-HD均减弱了缺血后处理的作用,且CGRP-(8-37)阻断了线粒体ATP敏感性钾通道开放剂Diaz的心肌保护作用。结论:缺血后处理可能通过促进线粒体ATP敏感性钾通道的开放,引起内源性降钙素基因相关肽的释放发挥心肌保护作用。     

大鼠心肌缺血再灌注损伤模型的实验研究

目的 制备一种新型的心肌急性缺血再灌注损伤模型,以探讨一种更符合临床实际需求的实验方法.方法 将20只雌性SD(Sprague-Dawley)大鼠随机分成2组(对照组、实验组),采用结扎主动脉根部引起心肌缺血5min再灌注30 min建立心肌急性缺血再灌注模型;通过应用透射电镜观察心肌细胞超微结构的改变,同时检测心肌组织匀浆丙二醛(Maleic Dialdehyde,MDA)含量、超氧化物歧化酶(Superoxide Dismutase,SOD)活力.结果 透射电镜下超微结构显示实验组较对照组明显加重了心肌组织结构和线粒体的损害;实验组心肌组织MDA明显高于对照组(P<0.01),而SOD明显低于对照组(P<0.01).结论 本实验成功建立了方法简便、易于操作、取材范围广泛的心肌缺血再灌注损伤模型,为心肌缺血再灌注损伤研究提供了一种更为可行的模型.     

Deposition of the terminal C5b-9 complement complex in infarcted areas of human myocardium

Poly- and monoclonal antibodies to neoantigens of the human C5b-9 complement complex, as well as polyclonal antibodies to C5, C8, and C9, were used to detect and identify C5b-9 deposits in human myocardial tissue. Immunocytochemical studies were performed on fresh-frozen autopsy material derived from patients with myocardial infarctions; in addition, in 17 of these patients, paraffin sections of formalin-fixed tissue were investigated. Sixteen autopsies from patients with noncardiac diseases were analyzed as controls. Without exception, C5b-9 positivity was registered selectively and exclusively on and in myocardial cells located within the zones of infarction. The selectivity of staining was confirmed by control reactions for succinic dehydrogenase activity performed in adjacent, respective double-stained sections. Most intensive staining with anti-neoantigen antibodies was observed in the peripheral areas of the infarctions. Weak staining for C3d, rather strong staining for C5 and C9, and intermediate staining with anti-C8 antibodies were observed in the same localizations. Stainings for C4 and IgA were negative, whereas immunocytochemical reactions for IgG and IgM revealed an irregular and very weak staining. Only very weak staining was also observed with a monoclonal antibody to complement S-protein, indicating that the terminal complement components were deposited mainly in the form of membrane-damaging C5b-9 complexes. Immunocytochemical staining for C5b-9 was found to represent a most sensitive tool for detection of ischemic myocardial lesions, permitting easy detection even of single cell necroses. As a working hypothesis, we suggest that initial ischemia may cause loss of the ability of the heart muscle cells to regulate complement turnover at the membrane level. The resulting deposition of C5b-9 on the cell membranes may contribute to functional disturbance and irreversible damage of myocardial cells during the infarction process.     

Discrimination of Recent Ischemic Myocardial Changes in WHHLMI Rabbits from the Findings of Postmortem Degeneration.

To distinguish recent ischemic myocardial changes in myocardial infarction-prone Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic (WHHLMI) rabbits from general postmortem myocardial degeneration, we examined hearts of WHHLMI rabbits after sudden death and postmortem hearts of non-atherogenic rabbits. Hearts of 8 WHHLMI rabbits were excised within 30 min of sudden death and hearts of 27 non-atherosclerotic rabbits were excised at designated periods after sacrifice. A large number of myocardial cells from WHHLMI rabbits exhibited features characteristic of ischemia (intercellular gap, intracellular edema, eosinophilia, disappearance of myocardial cells, indistinct nuclei, wavy myocardial fibers) simultaneously at regions close to proximal occluded coronary arteries. Although postmortem hearts of non-atherosclerotic rabbits exhibited similar characteristics, several features characteristic of autolyzed myocytes were also randomly observed in the left ventricle wall. Each feature was detected independently in myocardial cells or regions of the ventricle wall. In conclusion, we found several unique characteristics associated with myocardial infarction which enable discrimination between recent ischemic myocardial changes and myocardial degeneration following death.     

Resistance of the myocardium to ischemia and efficacy of myocardial preconditioning in experimental diabetes mellitus

Data on myocardial tolerance of ischemia in the animals with experimental diabetes are controversial. In our study, myocardial sensitivity to ischemia and infarction-limiting effect of ischemic preconditioning have been investigated in the in vivo rat model of myocardial infarction in alloxan-induced insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. It has been shown that in 6 weeks after alloxan injection in the diabetic rats infarction size as determined by TTC staining was significantly smaller than in healthy controls (39.8 +/- 8.8 and 62.3 +/- 6.6%, respectively, p < 0.01). Also, occurrence of ischemic tachyarrhythmias was more rare in diabetic rats than in controls. A single episode of ischemic preconditioning in diabetic rats showed a much lesser protection against infarction than in controls. Therefore, the data obtained support the existence of endogenous protective myocardial phenotype in diabetes, although the effectiveness of ischemic preconditioning in diabetes is reduced.     

Protection of ischemic myocardium by exogenous phosphocreatine (neoton): pharmacokinetics of phosphocreatine, reduction of infarct size, stabilization of sarcolemma of ischemic cardiomyocytes, and antithrombotic action

The effect of exogenous phosphocreatine on ischemic myocardium was studied in experimental infarction in rabbits and in total ischemia of pig heart tissue (in vitro). It is shown that single dose administration of phosphocreatine is followed by its rapid clearance from blood plasma (with a half lifetime of 4-6 min), but constantly high plasma concentration of phosphocreatine can be maintained by its intravenous infusion. When administered by this method into rabbits during experimental myocardial infarction, phosphocreatine reduces by 40% the size of the necrotic zone. Morphological electron microscopic studies using a lanthanum tracer method showed significant protection of the sarcolemma of cardiomyocytes in the perinecrotic zone by phosphocreatine. In vitro studies on the model of total ischemia also showed significant protection of cardiac sarcolemma from irreversible ischemic injury and reduction in the rate of high-energy phosphate depletion in the presence of phosphocreatine in the extracellular space. Additionally, it is demonstrated that creatine kinase released during myocardial infarction into the blood flow and exogenous phosphocreatine administered intravenously may significantly inhibit platelet aggregation by rapid removal of ADP, and thus potentially improve microcirculation during myocardial infarction.     

Ischemia induced activation of heat shock protein 27 kinases and casein kinase 2 in the preconditioned rabbit heart.

Protein kinase C (PKC), p38 MAP kinase, and mitogen-activated protein kinase-activated kinases 2 and 3 (MAPKAPK2 and MAPKAPK3) have been implicated in ischemic preconditioning (PC) of the heart to reduce damage following a myocardial infarct. This study examined whether extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) 1, p70 ribosomal S6 kinase (p70 S6K), casein kinase 2 (CK2), and other hsp27 kinases are also activated by PC, and if they are required for protection in rabbit hearts. CK2 and hsp27 kinase activities declined during global ischemia in control hearts, whereas PC with 5 min ischemia and 10 min reperfusion increased their activities during global ischemia. Resource Q chromatography resolved two distinct peaks of hsp27 phosphotransferase activities; the first peak (at 0.36 M NaCl) appeared to correspond to the 55-kDa MAPKAPK2. Erk1 activity was elevated in both control and PC hearts after post-ischemic reperfusion, but no change was observed in p70 S6K activity. Infarct size (measured by triphenyltetrazolium staining) in isolated rabbit hearts subjected to 30 min regional ischemia and 2 h reperfusion was 31.0+/-2.6% of the risk zone in controls and was 10.3+/-2.2% in PC hearts (p<0.001). Neither the CK2 inhibitor 5,6-dichloro-1-beta-D-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole (DRB) nor the Mek1/2 inhibitor PD98059 infused during ischemia blocked protection by PC. The activation of CK2 and Erk1 in ischemic preconditioned hearts appear to be epiphenomena and not required for the reduction of infarction from myocardial ischemia.     

Intracoronary C5a induces myocardial ischemia by mechanisms independent of the neutrophil: leukocyte filters desensitize the myocardium to C5a.

Activation of the complement cascade with the generation of anaphylatoxins accompanies the inflammatory response elicited by acute myocardial ischemia and reperfusion. Although complement is activated in the interstitium during acute myocardial ischemia, we have studied mechanisms whereby complement might exacerbate ischemia by using a model employing intracoronary injection of C5a in nonischemic hearts. Intracoronary injection of complement component C5a induces transient myocardial ischemia, mediated through the production of the coronary vasoconstrictors thromboxane A2 and peptidoleukotrienes (LTC4, LTD4), and causes sequestration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) in the coronary vascular bed. To further investigate the role of the PMN in the C5a-induced vasoconstriction, the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) in pigs was perfused at constant pressure and measurements of coronary blood flow, myocardial contractile function (sonomicrometry), arterial/coronary venous blood PMN count, and thromboxane B2 (TxB2) levels were performed. The myocardial response to intracoronary C5a (500 ng) was determined before, during, and after perfusion with blood depleted of PMNs using leukocyte filters (Sepacell R-500, Pall PL-100). In additional animals, the myocardial response to the PMN chemotactic agent, LTB4, and the effects of intracoronary C5a during constant flow perfusion were measured. Control intracoronary injection of C5a decreased flow (41% of baseline) and contractile function (39% of baseline), PMNs were trapped (5.1 x 10(3) cells/microliters), and TxB2 concentration increased in coronary venous blood. The response to C5a during coronary perfusion with arterial blood depleted of PMNs with Sepacell or Pall filters (less than 0.1 x 10(3) cells/microliters) was greatly blunted, with flow and contractile function falling by less than 14 and 8%, respectively, from baseline, and release of TxB2 was greatly attenuated. However, the myocardial ischemia and TxB2 release remained depressed in response to C5a after removal of the filters and perfusion with either arterial blood containing normal levels of PMNs or stored arterial blood never exposed to filters. In contrast, the repeat C5a challenge resulted in equivalent myocardial extraction of PMNs, thus indicating a dissociation of PMN sequestration from the acute ischemic response and release of TxB2. In separate experiments, the intracoronary injection of LTB4 also resulted in a pronounced myocardial extraction of PMNs (8.6 x 10(3) cells/microliters) greater than during C5a, but did not depress coronary flow or function. Perfusion at constant flow greatly diminished the ischemic response to C5a, indicating that vasoconstriction and resultant ischemia is the main cause of the contractile dysfunction. These data indicate that leukocyte filters inhibit the myocardial ischemia and release of TxB2 induced by C5a via mechanisms not related to PMN depletion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Immunohistochemical change of actin in experimental myocardial ischemia. Its usefulness to detect very early myocardial damages

Pathomorphological diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction has many problems in human autopsy materials less than 4 to 6 hours after clinical onset and in rats 2 to 3 hours after experimental coronary occlusion. Since immunohistochemical reaction depends on the antigen determinant site of the material, changes in the reaction may reflect alterations at the molecular level in myocardial fibers. With this consideration in mind, the effectiveness of diagnosing infarction at the earliest (possible) stage, and the changes of actin filaments were investigated through experiments, using immunohistochemical methods involving anti-actin antibodies produced from chicken gizzards in our laboratory. The left coronary arteries of rats were ligated to produce ischemia. Dehydrogenases were shown to be still present by triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) reaction, but the anti-actin antibody reaction had disappeared in areas corresponding to the ischemic sites. However, on electron microscopic examination of these sites, actin fibers were clearly revealed. In the case of ischemia lasting for more than 6 hours, the anti-actin antibody reaction had disappeared, corresponding to the disappearance of the TTC reaction. At this stage, myocardial actin fibers were revealed by electron microscopic examination. These results indicate that ischemia induces some type of biochemical degeneration at the molecular level of myocardial actin, most likely the change of actin polymerization. Moreover, they show that the anti-actin antibody technique is capable of detecting such very early degenerative and ischemic changes proving itself to be better suited for determining the range and degree of early infarction.     

A peptide corresponding to GPIIb alpha 300-312, a presumptive fibrinogen gamma-chain binding site on the platelet integrin GPIIb/IIIa, inhibits the adhesion of platelets to at least four adhesive ligands.

The platelet fibrinogen (Fg) receptor (GPIIb/IIIa) is an integrin which plays a critical role in hemostasis by recognizing at least the four adhesive ligands: Fg, fibronectin (Fn), vitronectin (Vn), and von Willebrand factor (vWf). We reported that residues 309-312 of GPIIb alpha appear to comprise at least part of a Fg binding site on the Fg receptor (Gartner, T. K., and Taylor, D. B. (1990) Thromb. Res. 60, 291-309). Here we report that the peptide GPIIb alpha 300-312 (G13) inhibits platelet aggregation and binds Fg and Vn. Significantly, this peptide inhibits the adhesion of stimulated platelets to Fg, Fn, Vn, and vWf, but not the adhesion of resting platelets to Fn. Thus, GPIIb 300-312 may constitute a specific but common recognition site on GPIIb/IIIa for both LGGAKQAGDV- and RGD-containing ligands.     

Apoptosis in experimental myocardial infarction in situ and in the perfused heart in vitro

We report the appearance of apoptotic cells in experimental myocardial infarction (rabbit heart) in in situ and in vitro preparations. Apoptosis was recognized by intravital staining with Hoechst 33342 (Ho342), by nick-end labeling (TUNEL) and by DNA laddering. A steady rise in the relative number of apoptotic cardiomyocytes (apoptotic index) was noted in in situ preparations. Apoptosis was first noted 6 h after the onset of ischemia with its highest value occurring after 72 h. Apoptotic nuclei were absent in remote areas of the left and right ventricles. Apoptotic nuclei within the infarcted area showed diminished intensity of Ho342 fluorescence. Three days after ischemia, a border zone adjacent to the infarcted area consisting of apoptotic macrophages was recognized. A novel finding was the appearance of apoptotic cardiomyocytes in the isolated perfused ischemic heart. Occurring as early as 50 min after the onset of ischemia, a high apoptotic index was present adjacent to the ligature placed around the coronary artery. This observation provides the opportunity to selectively examine factors leading to apoptosis in the ischemic heart under controlled experimental conditions.     

An appropriate loading control for western blot analysis in animal models of myocardial ischemic infarction

An appropriate loading control is critical for Western blot analysis. Housekeeping proteins (HKPs), such as β-actin, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), and β-tubulin, are commonly used to normalize protein expression. But HKP expression can be impacted by certain experimental conditions, such as ischemic myocardial infarction. This study was undertaken to look for an appropriate loading control for western blot analysis of ischemic myocardium. Myocardial ischemic infarction was induced by left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) ligation in Rhesus monkeys and C57BL/6 mice. The heart tissue samples from different areas and time points after surgery were subjected to western blot or gel staining. The level of β-actin, GAPDH, β-tubulin, and total protein were tested. The total protein level was consistent in all groups, whereas the protein level of β-tubulin and β-actin were different in all groups. However, the protein level of GAPDH was stable in the Rhesus monkey model. We concluded that total protein was the most appropriate internal control in different stages of myocardial ischemic disease of various animal models. GAPDH is a reliable internal control only for ischemic myocardium of Rhesus monkey.