Effect of Shenfu Qiangxin on the expression of TGF-β/Smads signaling pathway-related molecules in myocardium of rats with heart failure

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the effect of Shenfu Qiangxin on TGF-β/Smads signaling pathway-related molecules in myocardial tissue of rats with heart failure. Five rats were selected as sham-operated group, while another 15 rats with heart failure were divided into three groups, including model group, losartan group, and Shenfu Qiangxin group. Rats in losartan group were given losartan intragastric intervention, the rats in Shenfu Qiangxin group were given Shenfu Qiangxin mixture intervention, while rats in another two groups were given equal volume of sterile saline intervention. During the treatment, the levels of B-type brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), free fatty acids (FFA), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and TGF-β/Smads signaling pathway were measured in rats. Compared with model group, the expression of ejection fraction (EF), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVSP), TGF-β 1, Smad2, and Smad3 significantly decreased in sham-operated group, losartan group, and Shenfu Qiangxin group, while left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVDd), left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP), BNP, LDH, FFA, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels increased ( P < 0.05). Compared with sham-operated group, the expression of EF, LVSP, TGF-beta 1, Smad2, and Smad3 dramatically decreased in losartan group, Shenfu Qiangxin group, but LVEDV, LVDd, LVEDP, BNP, LDH, FFA, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels increased ( P < 0.05). Compared with losartan group, the expression of EF, LVSP, TGF-beta 1, Smad2, and Smad3 upregulated in Shenfu Qiangxin group, while LVEDV, LVDd, LVEDP, BNP, LDH, FFA, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels downregulated ( P < 0.05). Consequently, Shenfu Qiangxin could effectively improve the heart function of rats with heart failure, and play an anti-heart failure role by regulating the expression of related molecules of TGF-β/Smads signaling pathway.