Changes of cardiomyocyte apoptosis in progression of chronic heart failure resulting from pressure overload and effects of carvedilol in juvenile rats

Objective To observe changes of cardiomyocyte apoptosis in progression of chronic heart failure(CHF) resulting from pressure overload and effects of carvedilol in juvenile rats.Methods The animal model of CHF was established by constriction of abdominal aorta.After 4 weeks of operation,rats were randomly divided into 3 groups:sham operated group,CHF group,carvedilol treatmeat group.Carvedilol was administered by direct gastric gavage.After 8 weeks of operation,the hemodynamic study,the pathologic analysis of hearts,the cardiomyocyte apoptosis,the protein level of P 53 and Bcl 2 were performed.Results Compared with the sham operated group,left ventricular systolic pressure(LVSP),left ventricular end distolic pressure(LVEDP),left ventricular relative weight(LVRW),right ventricular relative weight(RVRW),apoptosis index(AI),P 53 were all significant increase (all, P 0.01) in CHF group.A significant decrease could be seen in +dp/dt max ,-dp/dt max ,Bcl 2.In comparsion with CHF group,a significant decrease could be seen in LVSP,LVEDP,LVRW,RVRW,AI,P 53 in carvedilol group.While a significant increase could be seen in -dp/dtmax,-dp/dtmax,Bcl 2( P 0.01).Conclusions Myocardial apoptosis may play a key role in the progression of CHF.Carvedilol can decrease myocardial apoptosis and the incorrect expression of correlated genes as Bcl 2 and P 53 .