Targeted delivery of isoliquiritigenin by ultrasonic microbubbles attenuate myocardial injury via suppressing inflammation and oxidative stress and activating AMPK/SIRT1/eNOS signaling pathway in rats

To investigate the protective efficacy of ultrasound targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) combined with Isoliquiritigenin on myocardial injury in rats. The GK rat model of cardiomyopathy was successfully established by the induction of adriamycin. Then these rats with cardiomyopathy were randomly assigned into the model group, isoliquiritigenin microbubbles and ultrasound alone or combination group, using healthy ones as normal control. After 8-week consecutive treatment, the relevance indexes of diabetes, echocardiography as well as the hyperlipidemia, oxidative stress of model animals were examined. In addition, the fibrosis, morphological changes and inflammation response of myocardial tissues were also assessed. After further 4-week intervention, the blood biochemical indexes and the cardiac functions of model rats received the combined treatment were improved (all P < 0.05) compare to those received either monotherapy or saline. After chronic treatment, the heart/body weight ratio and serum cardiac index levels in model rats received combined treatment were significantly changed (all P < 0.05) compared with others. Furthermore, combination therapy could ameliorate excessive oxidation stress and inflammation response as well as up-regulate the expression levels of AMPK/SIRT1/eNOS signaling pathway. Targeted delivery of isoliquiritigenin by ultrasonic microbubbles can ameliorate the myocardial injury via activating AMPK/SIRT1/eNOS signaling pathways.