| Objective This study was aimed to observe whether the main opioid receptors(Delta,kappa and Mu receptors)exist actually in human heart of different age grades and to provide a reliable basis for further study on opioid receptor mediated cardioprotection and clarify the possible mechanism.Methods 20 patients suffering from congenital or acquired heart diseases and undergoing open heart surgery on pump were enrolled in this study and divided into 4 groups according to age grades:children group is from birth to 14 years old(Group C,n=5,2 patients were at age of 3 months,1 patient was at age of 3 years,2 patients were at age of 4 years.);youth group is from age 15 to 44 years old(Group Y,n=5,5 patients was 15 years old,17 years old,27 years old,28 years old,and 42 years old,respectively.);middle aged group is from 45 to 59 years old(Group M,n=5,2 patients were 47 years old,1 patient was 50 years old,1 patient was 51 years old,1 patient was 55 years old);elderly group is from 60 to 74 years old(Group O,n=5,2 patients were 64 years old,1 patient was 60 years old,1 patient was 63 years old,1 patient was 69 years old).Tissue specimen from auricula dextra was taken from each case after anesthesia and during operation,and then processed with immunohistochemistry for qualitative detection and quantitative analysis of the expression ofδ-receptor(DOR),K-receptor(KOR)andμ-receptor(MOR)by microscopy and Image analysis technique.Results:(1)The results observed by microscopy:DOR was classified as weakly positive(+)in the group C,moderately positive(++)in the group Y,strongly positive(+++)in the group M,and moderately positive(++)in the group O;KOR was classified as weakly positive(+)in the group C,the group Y,and the group O,but moderately positive(++)in the group M;MOR was classified as weakly positive(+)in the group C and the group O,but moderately positive(++)in the group Y and the group M.(2)The results of image analysis:The average optical density values of DOR in the group C,Y,M and O were 0.0194±0.0073,0.0449±0.0101,0.0456±0.0119 and 0.0415±0.0087 respectively.Compared with the group C,the average optical density value is significantly higher in the group Y,M and O(P<0.05),however,the differences among the group Y,M and O were not statistically significant(P>0.05).The average optical density values of KOR in the group C,Y,M and O were 0.0030±0.0016,0.0164±0.0032,0.0362±0.0074 and 0.0189±0.0058 respectively.The average optical density values in the group Y,M and O were significantly higher than that in the group C(P<0.05);Compared with the group Y,the average optical density value in the group M was remarkably higher(P<0.05),but slightly higher in the group O(P>0.05);Compared with the group M,the average optical density value in the group O was markedly lower(P<0.05).The average optical density values of MOR in the group C,Y,M and O were 0.0317±0.0055,0.0409±0.0074,0.0498±0.0084 and 0.0316±0.0051 respectively.Compared with the group C,the average optical density values in the group M and group Y were significantly higher(P<0.05),but slightly lower without significance in the group O(P>0.05);Compared with the group Y,the average optical density value in the group M was much higher(P<0.05),but much lower in the group O(P<0.05);Compared with the group M,the average optical density value was dramatically lower in the group O(P<0.05).Conclusions(1)This study reveals that three main opioid receptors(δ,κ,μ)are likely to exist in Human heart of different age ranges.(2)This investigation also demonstrates that the distribution of 8,κandμ-opioid receptors in human heart may be different according to age.Theδ-receptors(DOR)distribute more in the young,the middle-aged and the elderly than in children;The K-receptors(KOR) distribute most in the middle aged,less in the young and the elderly,and least in children.Theμ-receptor(MOR)distribute more in youth and the middle-aged than in children and the elderly. |
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