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Dexmedetomidine preconditioning alleviates apoptosis in rat cardiomyocytes by suppressing programmed cell death 4 (PDCD4) after myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury
Abstract
Purpose: To determine the role of dexmedetomidine (Dex) in hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-induced myocardial cell injury and the possible involvement of the programmed cell death 4 (Pdcd4) gene in Dex-mediated myocardial cell apoptosis after ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury.
Methods: An in vivo I/R-injured rat model and in vitro H/R rat cell model were evaluated to ascertain the role of Dex in apoptosis. Programmed cell death 4 (PDCD4) gene expression levels were measured after Dex preconditioning. The effects of Pdcd4 knockdown or overexpression on Dex-mediated apoptosis during H/R injury were determined.
Results: Dex pretreatment alleviated myocardial infarction in rats, suppressed myocardial cell apoptosis, and inhibited PDCD4 expression (p < 0.05). Treatment with Dex also alleviated H/R-induced apoptosis in rat cardiomyocytes, while PDCD4 expression decreased after Dex treatment (p < 0.05). Moreover, PDCD4 overexpression reversed the inhibitory effect of Dex on H/R myocardial cell apoptosis.
Conclusion: Dex alleviates myocardial infarction in rats via its effect on PDCD4 expression. Therefore, Dex can potentially be used for the treatment but this has to clinical studies.