[Objective] To determine the effects and possible mechanism of the thrombin antagonist r-RGD-Hirudin (HIR) on ventricular arrhythmia(VA) after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). [Methods] Seventy adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly subjected to the 10 groups according to duration of left coronary occlusion: HIR 0 min, HIR 5 rain, HIR 10 min, HIR 20 min, HIR 30 min, and normal saline(NS) 0 min, NS 5 min, NS 10 min, NS 20 min, NS 30 min; and the average of every group is 7 rats. Acute myocardial infarction was produced by the occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery, then the measurements of arrhythmia and infarction sizing by Evans blue were assessed as well as the expression of three isoforms of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors (IP3Rs) mRNA in isehemic myocardium by reverse transeriptase polymerase chain reactions (RT-PCR). [Results] Compared with NS groups, the measurements of VA in HIR were reduced significantly in 5 to 20 minutes after AMI (P<0.05). The incidence of VA was all positive related to the expression of three isoforms of IP3Rs mRNA (P<0.01). Compared with NS groups, the expression of type2,inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP3R2) mRNA at 10 min and type3, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor mRNA (IP3R3) at 10 min and 20 min after AMI were significant decreased (P<0.05) in HIR groups. [Conclusion] The thrombin antagonist r-RGD-Hirudin exerts its myocardial protection against ventricular arrhythmia after acute myocardial infarction possible through IP3R2 and IP3R3 and not typel, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP3R1).

AIM:To observe the characterization in neural cells derived from the hippocampus of embryonic rats and to examine the effect of myelin-associated glycoprotein(MAG) on the proliferation,differentiation and neurite growth of neural stem cells(NSCs).METHODS:The hippocampus cells of embryonic rats were isolated and cultured in vitro.The expressions of nestin and doublecortin,the marks of NSCs,were observed by immunocytochemical method.The rate of proliferating cells was examined by BrdU immunocytochemistry.The average neuronal neurite length and the percentage of differentiated neurons were detected by immunocytochemistry staining.RESULTS:The hippocampus cells of 16 days old embryonic rats had the characteristics of NSCs.The percentage of differentiated neurons(?-tubulin Ⅲ-positive cells) was 18.17%?2.79% and the average neuronal neurite length was(136.27?33.66)?m,seven days after the differentiation initiated in vitro in control group.After NSCs were treated with MAG-Fc(200 ?g/L),the percentage of differentiated neurons and the average neurite length were decreased,respectively,to 10.05%?3.42%(P0.05).CONCLUSION:MAG-Fc inhibits the differentiation and neurite growth of the NSCs,but has no effect on the proliferation.

Objective To study the levels of soluble thrombomodulin (sTM)in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and evaluate its clinical significance. Method Measured the sTM levels with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, and described the characteristics of coronary arteriography, risk factors of coronary heart disease, and adverse events in a case-control study of 48 ACS patients (ACS group)and 10 normal people (control group). Results The level of sTM in ACS group was (3.67±1.71) μg/L, and (2.34±0.43)μg/L in control group (P<0.05). The level of sTM in the patients of risk factors or impaired vessels number more than 2 increased significantly than those in the patients of risk factors or impaired vessols number inferior or equal to 2, (4.93±2.76) μg/Lvs (3.13±0.81) μg/L, P<0.05, (4.60± 2.83) μg/L vs (2.91±0.23) μg/L, P < 0.05 respectively. The incidence of cardiac events in the patients of sTM more than 3.2 μg/L (70.0%)was higher significantly than that in the patients of sTM inferior or equal to 3.2 μg/L(35.7%), P< 0.05. Conclusions The levels of sTM are valuable markers to evaluate the impaired degree and scope of endothelial cells in ACS. They are also associated with the number of risk factors, and useful in predicting the extent and prognosis of the disease.

【Objective】 To explore the significance of electrocard iogram monitoring during the effective application of radiofrequency energy to s low atrioventricular (AV) nodal pathway ablation. 【Methods】 Slow AV nodal pathway ablation was performed in 58 patients with slownfast AV nodal ree-trant tachyca rdi a (AVNRT). The changes of electrocardiogram were monitored during the effective application of low radiofrequency RF energy (15～25 W). A faster rate of junctio nal ectopy (>150 min-1), ventriculoatrial (VA) block in association with j unctional ectopy, and l ong P-R interval during sinus beat were considered as harbingers of atrioventri cular (AV) block. RF energy deliveries were discontinued as soon as the harbinge rs of AV block occurred. Otherwise, RF energy continued until junctional ectopie s were decreased or vanished. If junctionnal ectopies were not decreased, RF ene rgy continued lasted for 90～120 s. 【Results】 Slow AV nodal pathway ablation w as successful in all patients who had junctional ectopy during the effective del ivery of RF energy. The effective ablation time was (128±26) s. 54 patients exp erienced one time successful ablation, and 4 patients experienced two times abla tion. Unsustained AV block occurred in 6 patinets after RF energy deliveries whi ch were immediately terminated because of VA block in association with junctiona l ectopy in 4 patinets and long P-R interval during sinus beats in 2 patients. No patients developed permanent AV block. Recurrent AVNRT requiring second ablat ion occurred in 2 of 58 successfully ablated slow pathway during (18±16) months of follow-up. 【Conclusion】 RF energy deliveries could be instructed b y intracardiac electrocardiogram monitoring during AVNRT ablation, which could e nhance the successful rate of slow pathway ablation, reduce recurrence and avoide permanent AV block.

Aim To investigate whether nicorandil (Nic)protects H9c2 cardiac cells against high glucose (HG)-induced injury and inflammation by inhibiting nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB )/cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2 )pathway.Methods Cell viability was measured by cell counter kit-8 (CCK-8)assay.The expression lev-els of NF-κB,COX-2 and cleaved caspase-3 were de-termined by Western blot.The activity of lactate dehy-drogenase (LDH)in the culture medium was measured with commercial kits.The intracellular level of reactive oxygen species (ROS)was detected by 2′,7′-dichlor-fluorescein-diacetate (DCFH-DA)staining followed by photofluorography.The number of apoptotic cells was observed by Hoechst 33258 nuclear staining followed by photofluorography.Mitochondrial membrane poten-tial (MMP)was examined by rhodamine 123 staining followed by photofluorography.The secretion levels of interleukin-1β(IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) were detected by ELISA.Results After H9 c2 cardiac cells were treated with 35 mmol · L-1 glucose (high glucose,HG)for 24 h,the cell viability was significantly decreased .Pre-treatment of the cells with 20~100 μmol·L-1 Nic for 60 min or 50 μmol· L-1 Nic for 30~120 min before exposure to HG signif-icantly attenuated the decrease in viability induced by HG.On the other hand,HG increased the expression levels of phosphorated (p)-NF-κB p65 and cyclooxy-genase-2 (COX-2 )in H9c2 cardiac cells.Pre-treat-ment of the cells with 50 μmol·L-1 Nic for 60 min at-tenuated the up-regulation of p-NF-κB p65 and COX-2 expression levels induced by HG.Furthermore,HG induced considerable injuries and inflammatory re-sponse,leading to increases in LDH activity,ROS generation,MMP loss,the number of apoptotic cells, the expression of cleaved caspase-3 as well as the se-cretion levels of IL-1βand TNF-α.Pre-treatment of the cells with 50 μmol·L-1 Nic for 60 min before HG exposure,or co-treatment of the cells with 100 μmol· L-1 PDTC (an inhibitor of NF-κB)or 10 μmol·L-1 NS-398 (an inhibitor of COX-2)and HG for 24 h ob-viously reduced the above injuries and inflammatory re-sponse induced by HG. Conclusion Nic protects H9 c2 cardiac cells against HG-induced injury and in-flammation by inhibiting NF-κB/COX-2 pathway.

Aim To explore whether edaravone (EDA), a novel free radical scavenger, protects H9c2 cardiac cells against doxorubicin ( DOX )-induced car-diotoxicity. Methods H9c2 cells were treated with 5μmol·L-1 DOX to establish a model of DOX cardio-toxicity. Cell viability was examined by cell counter kit ( CCK-8 ) . Changes in morphology and amount of ap-optotic cells were detected by Hoechst 33258 staining;intracellular level of reactive oxygen species ( ROS ) was measured by DCFH-DA staining and photofluorog-raphy;mitochondrial membrane potential ( MMP) was observed by rhodamine 123 ( RH123 ) staining and photoflurograph; the expression level of caspase-3 was determined by Western blot assay. Results Pretreat-ment of H9 c2 cells with 20 , 40 and 80 μmol · L-1 EDA for 60 min markedly inhibited cytotoxicity in-duced by 5 μmol · L-1 DOX, respectively, as evi-denced by an increase in cell viability. The protective effect induced by 40 μmol · L-1 EDA was maximal. Pretreatment of H9 c2 cells with 40 μmol · L-1 EDA for 30 , 60 , 90 and 120 min significantly attenuated DOX-induced cytotoxicity, respectively, having a max-imal protection at 60 min. Furthermore, pretreatment of H9 c2 cells with 40 μmol · L-1 EDA for 60 min be-fore exposure to 5 μmol · L-1 DOX for 24 h obviously reduced cardiac injuries, as evidenced by decreases in the DOX-induced intracellular ROS generation, num-ber of apoptotic cells, and expression of cleaved caspase-3, as well as loss of MMP. Conclusions EDA can protect H9 c2 cardiac cells against DOX-in-duced cardiotoxicity, this protection may be associated with inhibition of ROS production and preservation of MMP.

AIM: To explore the role of extracellular signal-regulated kinases ERK1/2-STAT3 pathway in adaptive cytoprotection induced by H2O2 preconditioning in PC12 cells.METHODS: In PC12 cells,the experimental model of cytoprotection by H2O2 preconditioning against oxidative stress-induced injury was set up.The morphological changes in the apoptotic cells were observed by using of chromatin dye Hoechst 33258.The percent of apoptotic cells was determined by flow cytometry(FCM) with propidium iodide staining.The levels of p-ERK1/2 and p-STAT3 expression were detected by Western blotting assay.RESULTS: Preconditioning with H2O2 at concentration of 100 ?mol/L for 90 min obviously inhibited apoptosis induced by 300 ?mol/L H2O2,and both ERK1/2 and STAT3 were activated.UO126(10 ?mol/L,an inhibitor of ERK1/2) or AG-490(10?mol/L,an inhibitor of JAK2) significantly blocked the cytoprotection effect of H2O2 preconditioning.Moreover,UO126(10 ?mol/L) also markedly inhibited the up-regulation of p-STAT3 expression by H2O2 preconditioning.CONCLUSION: H2O2 preconditioning activates ERK1/2-STAT3 signal pathway,which may be one of the mechanisms underlying H2O2 preconditioning-induced cytoprotection.

AIM: To investigate the effects and mechanisms of angiotensin-(1-7) on cardiac hypertrophy in pressure-overloaded rats. METHODS: Ar at model of pressure-overloaded heart was induced by constriction of abdominal aorta. Seventy-five male Sprague Dawley rats were randomized to sham-operated group, model control group and angiotensin-(1-7) treatment group. They were treated with intravenous infusion of angiotensin-(1-7) (25 microgram/kg per hour) or saline by minipump. RESULTS: Abdominal aortic banding resulted in a significant increases in LVW/BW, myocardial angiotensinⅡlevels, and p-ERK1/2 expression. Angiotensin-(1-7) had no effect on aortic banding-induced increases in myocardial angiotensinⅡlevels, but it significantly attenuated aortic banding-induced increases in LVW/BW and p-ERK1/2 expression. CONCLUSION: Angiotensin-(1-7) attenuates the development of cardiac hypertrophy in pressure-overloaded rats. It may be associated with the inhibition of p-ERK1/2 expression in cardiac tissue.

AIM:To evaluate complement activation in patients with all forms of acute coronary syndromes(ACS)and to examine the relationship between the degree of complement activation and myocardial injury.METHODS:The subjects were divided into 2 groups:110 ACS patients(group ACS)and 18 healthy persons(group control).One hundred and ten patients with ACS were divided into 3 sub-group:51 patients with ST-segment elevated myocardial infarction(STEMI),28 patients with non-ST-segment elevated myocardial infarction(NSTEMI)and 31 patients with unstable angina(UA).Complement 3(C3),complement 4(C4),troponin T(TnT)as well as creatine kinase MB(CK-MB)were evaluated.RESULTS:Plasma C3 and C4 peak levels were significantly higher in patients with STEMI [(1 525?302)mg/L and(423?123)mg/L] and NSTEMI [(1 516?289)mg/L and(396?68)mg/L] than those in patients with UA [(1 275?172)mg/L and(356?91)mg/L] and the control subjects [(1 072?196)mg/L and(182?73)mg/L](P

AIM: To study the reactions of human platelet to active complement and the effects of anti-CD59 on human platelet activation induced by complement. METHODS: By applying CVF to activate complement, the platelet aggregation and release reactions induced by activated complement with or without appling anti-CD59 with different doses to block the complement modulative protein CD59 in healthy individuals, were observed. RESULTS: CVF induced platelet release and significant and lasting metamorphosis in healthy individuals, but platelet aggregation was not observed. CVF-induced platelet metamorphosis showed positive linear correlation to lg concentration of CVF (r=0 970. P