Study On Effects & Mechanism Of Taurine On Apoptosis Of Neonatal Rat Cardiomyocytes Induced By Angiotensin Ⅱ

Objection:To set up a model of apoptosis in cultured cardiomyocytes of neonatal rat (NRCs) induced by angiotensin â…¡(Angâ…¡) and to investigate the effects of taurine(Tau) on it and the expression changes of apoptotic relative genes. Methods:Cultured NRCs were randomly devided into the control group, Angâ…¡ groups, Tau-treated groups, Verapamil(Ver)-treated group and Tau+Ver-treated group . Apoptotic cardiomyocytes were observed by light microcopy and transmission electron microscope and examined by agarose gel electrophoresis, TUNEL and flow cytometery method .Effects of taurine on the apoptotic myocytes were observed and analysed .The protein expression of Bcl-2, Fas/FasL, Caspase-3 genes were studied with immunohistochemical staining. Results:Cultured NRCs induced by Angâ…¡ showed typical apoptotic morphological changes. The methods of agarose gel eletrophoresis, TUNEL method and flow cytometery testified the apoptosis of NRCs induced by Angâ…¡ and the protection of taurine on it. Experiments with immunohistochemical staining showed that Angâ…¡ decrease Bcl-2 protein expression and increase Fas/FasL, Caspase-3 protein expression(P<0.05),while taurine blocked the changes of these genes expression. Conclusion: Angâ…¡ can induce apoptosis of cultured NRCs, while taurine can inhibit it. The mechanism may be responsible for the protein expression changes of Bcl-2 , Fas/FasL and Caspase-3 by Tau inhibitiory action on the Ca2+ influx evoked by Angâ…¡.