Propofol limits rat myocardial ischemia and reperfusion injury with an associated reduction in apoptotic cell death in vivo.

Abstract

Propofol, a rapidly acting, short duration, intravenous hypnotic anesthetic induction agent, is often used in clinical situations where myocardial ischemia/ reperfusion (I/R) injury is a threat. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the protective effect of propofol on myocardial I/R injury in rat due to apoptosis. Myocardial I/R injury were induced by occluding the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery for 25 min followed by either 2 h or 6 h reperfusion. Apoptosis was evaluated by Western blot analysis (Bcl-2, Bax expression), DNA strand breaks, TUNEL analysis and measuring myocardial caspase-3 activity. Propofol significantly reduced infarct size and improved I/R-induced myocardial contractile dysfunction by improving left ventricular diastolic pressure and positive and negative maximal values of the first derivative (+dp/dt) of left ventricular pressure. Propofol increased Bcl-2/Bax expression ratio and decreased caspase-3 activity in I/R rat hearts, which resulted in reduction of myocardial apoptosis as evidenced by TUNEL analysis and DNA laddering experiments. In an in vitro study, propofol increased H9c2 cell viability against oxidative stress induced by glucose oxidase (GOX) in a dose-dependent manner. These data suggest propofol limits I/R injury with an associated reduction in apoptotic cell death in vivo.

• Authors: Yong Chun Jin, Wooyeol Kim, Yu Mi Ha, Il Woo Shin, Ju Tae Sohn, Hye Jung Kim, Han Geuk Seo, Jea Heun Lee, Ki Churl Chang
• Journal: Vascular pharmacology (Vascul Pharmacol) 2009 Jan-Feb Vol. 50 Issue 1-2 Pg. 71-7 ISSN: 1537-1891 [Print] United States
• PMID: 18996224 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Anesthetics, Intravenous
• Hypnotics and Sedatives
• bcl-2-Associated X Protein
• Caspase 3
• Propofol

Topics

• Anesthetics, Intravenous (pharmacology)
• Animals
• Apoptosis (drug effects)
• Caspase 3 (analysis)
• Hypnotics and Sedatives (pharmacology)
• In Situ Nick-End Labeling
• Male
• Myocardial Contraction (drug effects)
• Myocardial Reperfusion Injury (drug therapy, pathology, physiopathology)
• Myocytes, Cardiac (drug effects, metabolism, pathology)
• Propofol (pharmacology)
• Rats
• Rats, Sprague-Dawley
• bcl-2-Associated X Protein (metabolism)