Effect of hydrogen sulfide on myocardial fibrosis and expression of PKCα and HSP70 in diabetic rats

Abstract

To explore the eff ect of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) on protein kinase C α (PKCα) and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) expression and myocardial fibrosis in diabetic rats. Rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: the control group, diabetes group (STZ group), the H2S intervention group (STZ+H2S group) and the normal rats plus H2S group (the H2S group). Diabetic rats were induced by intraperitoneal injections of streptozotocin (STZ). The pathological morphological changes in myocardial fiber was analyzed by HE staining. The expression of PKCα, HSP70 and type III collagen were analyzed by Western blot. Compared with the control group, the expressions of PKCα, HSP70 and type III collagen in diabetic rats were significantly increased (P<0.05), accompanied by the disordered arrangement of myocardial cells, which were dramatically reversed by H2S treatment (P<0.05). H2S could reduce myocardial fibrosis in diabetic rats, which is related to the inhibition of PKCα and HSP70 expression.