OBJECTIVETo explore the apoptotic pathway mediated by endoplasmic reticulum stress in the mouse myocardium with heart failure induced by acute viral myocarditis caused by B-3 Coxsackie virus.

METHODSForty BALB/c male mice were randomly divided into 2 groups (n = 20): the control group and the virus infection group. The BALB/c mouse myocarditis was induced by B-3 Coxsackie virus and the mouse behavior was observed conventionally. All the mice were sacrificed on day 7 and the changes of left ventricular pressure (LVP) and the rate of change of left ventricular pressure (LV dp/dt) were measured. The cardiomyocytic apoptosis was analyzed by TUNEL method and the mRNA expression level of endoplasmic reticulum haperones glucose-regulated protein (GRP)78 and GRP94 was detected by RT-PCR.

RESULTS(1) Compared with those of control group, the parameters of cardiac hemodynamics in the virus infection group were significantly decreased (P < 0.01); (2) Compared with that of control group, myocardial apoptosis was significantly increased in the myocardial cells from mice with heart failure induced by acute viral myocarditis (P < 0.01); (3) The mRNA expression level of GRP78 and GRP94 were increased significantly in the virus infection group compared with the control group.

CONCLUSIONThese findings suggest the endoplasmic reticulum stress may mediate the apoptosis of myocardial cells in the mice myocardium of heart failure induced by acute viral myocarditis caused by B-3 Coxsackie virus.