The expression of stretch-activated potassium channel TREK-1 mRNA and protein of hypertrophic myocardium was measured. Using a model of hypertrophy induced by coarctation of abdominal aorta in male Wistar rats, the expression of TREK-1 mRNA and protein was detected by using semi quantitative RT PCR and Western blot respectively. At 4th and 8th week after constriction of the abdominal aorta, rats developed significant left ventricular hypertrophy. As compared to sham operated group, stretch activated potassium channel TREK-1 mRNA was strongly expressed and protein was up regulated in operation groups (P＜0.05). It was concluded that the expression of TREK 1 was up regulated in hypertrophic myocardium induced by chronic pressure overload in Wistar rats.

In order to investigate the association of G+1688A (Ser563Asn) polymorphism of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1) gene with myocardial infarction (MI) in the Chi- nese Han population, the G+1688A polymorphism in PECAM-1 gene was detected by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment-length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method among 502 subjects, including 218 patients with MI and 284 controls. The results showed that there was significant dif-ference in AA frequencies of genotype G+1688A polymorphism between case and control groups (39% vs 24%, P<0.001). A similar trend was observed on the allele frequencies (A/G: 62% vs 49%, P<0.001). Among the subjects with high serum total cholesterol level or high systolic blood pressure level, the variant AA genotype was associated with high risk of MI (adjusted OR, 2.13; 95% CI, 1.08-4.41 and adjusted OR, 2.53; 95%CI, 1.63-3.63). The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at position +1688 in the exon 8 of PECAM-1 gene was associated with MI and the allele A might be a risk factor for MI in the Chinese Han population.