OBJECTIVE: Astragaloside is a simple substance of saponin and the active constituent of astragali. It was reported that the astragaloside exerted therapeutical eff ect on viral myocarditis and dilated cardiomyopathy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of astragaloside on TL1A expression in viral myocarditis. METHODS: A total of 100 BALB/c mice were randomly divided into 6 groups: the normal control group (group A, n=10), the high-dose control group (group B, n=10), the myocarditis control group (group C, n=20), the low-dose group (group D, n=20), the middle-dose group (group E, n=20) and the high-dose group (group F, n=20). Mice in group A and group B were injected intraperitoneally with 0.1 mL EMEM solution, while mice in group C, D, E and F were treated with 0.1 mL of 1×102 TCID50 CVB3 (diluted in EMEM). Then, mice in group A and group B were treated with carboxymethycellulose solution and 9% astragaloside for 1 week, respectively. At the same time, mice in group C, D, E and F were treated with sodium carboxymethycellulose solution, 1% [0.07 g/(kg.d)], 3% [0.2 g/(kg.d)] and 9%[0.6 g/(kg.d)] astragaloside for 1 week, respectively. After 14 days, the mice were sacrificed and their hearts were collected. The expression levels of TL1A mRNA and protein in the myocardium were examined by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry, respectively. RESULTS: There was no death in the group A and B. The mortality in the group C, D, E and F was 45% (9/20), 30% (6/20), 25% (5/20) and 10% (2/20), respectively. Compared with the group C, the mortality in the group F was significantly decreased (P<0.05), but there no significant difference in mortality between the group C and the group D or E (P>0.05). There was no any pathological lesion in the group A and B. The TL1A mRNA and protein expression in the myocardium of mice in the group A and B was at low level, with no difference between them (P>0.05). Compared with the group A, the expression levels of TL1A mRNA and protein in the group C were markedly up-regulated (P<0.01), which was dramatically attenuated by the intervention of astragaloside at high dosage (the group F, P<0.01) but not at low (the group D) or middle-dosage (the group E) (P>0.05). CONCLUSION Astragaloside may play a pivotal role in protection of the heart injury in viral myocarditis by suppressing the expression of TL1A.
Acute Disease ; Animals ; Cardiomyopathy, Dilated ; drug therapy ; Coxsackievirus Infections ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Myocarditis ; drug therapy ; virology ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; pathology ; RNA, Messenger ; Saponins ; pharmacology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 15 ; metabolism ; Up-Regulation

BACKGROUNDKeshan disease (KD) is an endemic cardiomyopathy in China. The etiology of KD is still under debate and there is no effective approach to preventing and curing this disease. Young women of child-bearing age are the most frequent victims in rural areas. The aim of this study was to determine the differences between molecular pathogenic mechanisms in male and female KD sufferers.

METHODSWe extracted RNA from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of KD patients (12 women and 4 men) and controls (12 women and 4 men). Then the isolated RNA was amplified, labeled and hybridized to Agilent human 4×44k whole genome microarrays. Gene expression was examined using oligonucleotide microarray analysis. A quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay was also performed to validate our microarray results.

RESULTSAmong the genes differentially expressed in female KD patients we identified: HLA-DOA, HLA-DRA, and HLA-DQA1 associated with spontaneous autoimmunity; BMP5 and BMP7, involved in cardiomyocyte differentiation defect; and ADAMTS 8, CCL23, and TNFSF15, implicated in anti-angiogenic activities. These genes are involved in the canonical pathways and networks recognized for the female KD sufferers and might be related to the pathogenic mechanism of KD.

CONCLUSIONOur results might help to explain the higher susceptibility of women to this disease.

ADAM Proteins ; genetics ; ADAMTS Proteins ; Adult ; Autoimmunity ; genetics ; physiology ; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 5 ; genetics ; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7 ; genetics ; Cardiomyopathies ; genetics ; pathology ; Cell Differentiation ; genetics ; physiology ; Chemokines, CC ; genetics ; Enterovirus Infections ; genetics ; pathology ; Female ; Gene Expression Profiling ; HLA-D Antigens ; genetics ; HLA-DQ alpha-Chains ; genetics ; HLA-DR alpha-Chains ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; cytology ; metabolism ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Sex Factors ; Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 15 ; genetics