Effect of Wenxin granule on Bcl-2/Bax/Caspase apoptosis pathway gene expression in rats with myocardial infarction

Objective: To explore the cardioprotective mechanism of Wenxin Granules regulating the expression of apoptosis-related genes in cardiomyocytes. Methods: A rat model of myocardial infarction was established and randomly divided into model group, Wenxin granule low-dose group, Wenxin granule high-dose group, metoprolol group and sham operation group. the left ventricular end systole anterior wall thickness(LVAWs), end systole inner diameter (LVIDs), end systole posterior wall thickness (LVPWs), end-diastolic anterior wall thickness (LVAWd), end-diastolic inner diameter (LVIDd), end-diastolic posterior wall thickness(LVPWd)and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were detected by echocardiography in each group after 2 weeks of treatment. Hematoxylin eosin (HE) staining was used to observe the changes in the cardiac structure of rats in each group. Real-time PCR (Real-time PCR) was used to detect the relative expression of mammalian B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2), BCL-2 related X protein (BAX), Caspase-9 (Caspase-9), and Caspase-3 (Caspase-3) mRNA. TUNEL staining was used to detect changes in the apoptotic rate of rat cardiomyocytes in each group. Results: Compared with the sham operation group, the LVAWs, LVPWs, LVPWd and LVEF of the model group were significantly reduced (P<0.05, P<0.01), and LVIDs and LVIDd were significantly increased (P<0.05, P<0.01). Severe pathological ischemia injury of heart tissue. The relative expression of BCL-2 mRNA and the ratio of BCL-2/BAX in the model group were significantly reduced (P<0.01), while the relative expression of BAX, Caspase-9 and Caspase-3 mRNA was significantly increased (P<0.01). The apoptosis rate was significantly increased (P<0.01). In the low-dose and high-dose groups of Wenxin Granules and the Metoprolol group, LVAWs, LVPWs, LVPW d, and LVEF of rats in each administration group increased significantly (P<0.05, P<0.01), LVIDs , LVIDd was significantly reduced (P<0.05, P<0.01), the pathological damage of the heart tissue was improved, the expression of BCL-2 mRNA and the ratio of BCL-2/BAX were significantly increased (P<0.05, P<0.01), BAX, The expression of Caspase-9 and Caspase-3 mRNA was significantly reduced (P<0.05, P<0.01), and the apoptotic rate of myocardial cells was significantly reduced (P<0.01). Conclusion: Wenxin granule can play a cardioprotective role by regulating the gene expression of BCL-2/BAX/Caspase apoptosis pathway.