Inhibitory effect of resveratol on ischemia reperfusion-induced cardiocyte apoptosis and its relationship with PI3K-Akt signaling pathway

OBJECTIVE To study the effect of resveratol on ischemia reperfusion-induced cardiocyte apoptosis and its relationship with PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. METHOD Fifty male SD rats were divided randomly into five groups: the control group (SH group), the ischemia reperfusion group (I/R group), the resveratol pretreatment group (Res group), the resveratol pretreatment + wortmannin group (Res +Wom group) and the ischemia reperfusion + wortmannin group (I/R + Wom group). The myocardial ischemia model was established by ligating left coronary artery for 45 min followed by 120 min reperfution, in order to observe the contents of NOS and NO. Cardiac myocyte apoptosis was determined by terminal deoxynueleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL). Bcl-2 and Bax proteins were detected by immunohistochemistry. The t-Akt and p-Akt signaling protein expressions were determined by Western blotting analysis. RESULT Compared with the I/R groups and the Res + Wom group, the Res group showed significant increase in the expressions of NOS, NO, Bcl-2 protein and p-Akt and notable decrease in cardiocyte apoptosis and Bax/Bcl-2. The difference of above indicators showed a statistical significance (P<0.05). Furthermore, above changes can be blocked by wortmannin, a specific blocker of PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, indicating a statistical significance in their changes (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Resveratol can inhibit the ischemia reperfusion-induced cardiocyte apoptosis, in which PI3K-Akt signaling pathway gets involved.