Thirty SPF-ranked SD rats were randomly divided into a control group, a model group, an EA group, an
aconitine group and an EA plus
aconitine group, with 6 rats in each group. The rat model of acute
heart failure was established by infusion of high-dose
propranolol hydrochloride solution into the right femoral vein. After stabilized for 10 min in the modeled rats, EA was exerted at "Neiguan" (PC 6), with disperse-dense wave, 2 Hz/15 Hz in frequency, 3 mA in intensity, for 30 min in the EA group and the EA plus
aconitine group;
aconitine solution (10 μg/kg) was injected from the left femoral veins in the rats in the
aconitine group and the EA plus
aconitine group. Hemodynamic indexes such as the left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP) and the maximum rate of increase/decrease of left ventricular pressure (±dp/dtmax) were detected and
arrhythmia types were observed and scored. SERCA2a
protein and PLB
protein expressions in left ventricular myocardial tissue of rats were detected by multiplex fluorescence Western blot.
RESULTS: Compared with the control group, LVSP and ±dp/dtmax all were decreased after modeling and at each time point after intervention in the model group (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, ±dp/dtmax was increased in the
aconitine group and the EA group at 1 min after intervention (P<0.01, P<0.05), +dp/dtmax was increased
at 10 to 60 min after intervention in the
aconitine group and at 20 to 60 min after intervention in the EA group (P<0.01, P<0.05), LVSP was increased at 1 min after intervention in the EA group (P<0.01), while LVSP and ±dp/dtmax were all increased at 1 to 60 min after intervention in the EA plus
aconitine group (P<0.01, P<0.05). Compared with the
aconitine group, LVSP and +dp/dtmax were increased at 1 min after intervention in the EA group (P<0.01, P<0.05), LVSP and ±dp/dtmax at 1 min after intervention while +dp/dtmax at 20 to 60 min after intervention were all increased in the EA plus
aconitine group (P<0.01, P<0.05). Compared with the EA group, +dp/dtmax was higher
at 10 to 60 min after intervention in the EA plus
aconitine group (P<0.01). Compared with the model group,
arrhythmia score was higher in the
aconitine group (P<0.01). Compared with the
aconitine group,
arrhythmia score was lower in the EA group and the EA plus
aconitine group (P<0.01). As compared with the control group, the expression of SERCA2a
protein in the left ventricular cardiomyocytes was decreased (P<0.01), while the expression of PLB
protein was increased in the model group (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the expression of SERCA2a
protein was increased in both the EA group and the EA plus
aconitine group (P<0.05, P<0.01), and PLB
protein expression was decreased in each intervention group respectively (P<0.01, P<0.05). As compared with the EA group and the
aconitine group, the expression of SERCA2a
protein was increased and the expression of PLB
protein was decreased in the EA plus
aconitine group separately (P<0.05, P<0.01).
CONCLUSION: