Dynamic expression of early responsible genes to acute left-ventricular ischemia in a time-dependent pattern

Acute myocardial infarction remains one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. The mechanisms underlying myocardial infarction involve a complex of signaling molecules, such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha), interleukin-6 (IL6), C-Myc, atria natriuretic peptide (ANP), superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), and so on. The aim of this study is to understand the time-dependent expressional pattern of these early responsible genes following acute myocardial ischemia established by left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery ligation. After LAD ligation, a collection of genes was detected using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The expression of inflammation-related genes, such as TNF alpha and IL6, was immediately upregulated at 2 h, reached to the highest point at 12 h, and then decreased to nearly basis level at 24 h after ligation, suggesting inflammation appeared and disappeared rapidly after acute ischemia. C-Myc, an important transcription factor, was significantly upregulated at 2 h, and thereafter persisted at high level to 24 h. The secretary peptide, ANP, was consistently upregulated from 2 to 24 h, reached to 40-folds at 24 h. The calcium-regulated gene, FK506-binding protein 12.6, was not significantly altered after ischemia. SOD1 was not altered at the first 4 h, and began to downregulate at 12 and 24 h. These results indicate that several genes were dynamically and transiently regulated after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in a time-dependent pattern, suggesting that there is an immediate molecular response to acute myocardial ischemia, which might provide us a new insight to understand molecular mechanisms of AMI.