Effects of preconditioning with different doses of levothyroxine sodium on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in immature rats

Abstract

Objective To investigate the effects of preconditioning with different doses of levothyroxine sodium on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in immature rats. Methods Forty-eight female immature Wistar rats, aged 35 days, weighing 120-140 g, were randomly allocated into 6 groups ( n = 8 each): control group (group C), I/R group, and preconditioning with levothyroxine sodium 10, 20, 40 and 80 μg/100 g groups (groups LS1-4 ) . The rats received levothyroxine sodium 10, 20, 40 and 80 μg/100 g through a gastric tube every day for 7 days in groups LS1-4 , respectively. Venous blood samples were taken on 8th day for determination of serum thyroid hormone levels. The hearts were removed from the animals and perfused in a Langendorff apparatus with K-H solution saturated with 95% O2-5% CO2 at 37 ℃. The hearts were continuously perfused for 80 min in group C. After 30 min of equilibration, the isolated hearts were subjected to 20 min of ischemia followed by 30 min of reperfusion in I/R and LS1-4 groups. HR, SP and ± dp/dtmax were recorded at 20 min of perfusion and 30 min of reperfusion. The recovery rates of HR, SP and ± dp/dtmax were calculated at 30 min of reperfusion. The coronary effluent was collected at 10 min of perfusion and 15 min of reperfusion for determination of creatine kinase (CKMB) activity. The samples of ventricular myocardial tissues were taken at 30 min of reperfusion to detect the expression of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), thyroid hormone receptor (TR) mRNA (TRa, , TRoj and TRft ) and myosin heavy chain (MHC) mRNA. Results Compared with group C, the recovery rates of HR, SP and. ± dp/dtmax were significantly decreased, the CK-MB activity was significantly increased, and MHCα mRNA expression was down-regulated in group I/R, the recovery rates of SP and ± dp/dtmax were significantly decreased, the CK-MB activity was significantly increased, and the expression of HSP70 and MHCα mRNA was up-regulated in groups LS1-4, and the serum thyroid hormone level was significantly increased and the expression of TRa, mRNA was up-regulated in groups LS2-4 ( P ＜ 0.05) . Compared with group I/R, the recovery rates of HR and ± dp/dtmax were significantly increased, the pression of HSP70 and MHCa mRNA was up-regulated, and the MHCJ3 mRNA expression was down-regulated in groups LS1-4 the CK-MB activity was significantly decreased in groups LS1-3, and the serum thyroid hormone level was significantly increased and the expression of TRα1, mRNA was up-regulated in groups LS2-4 ( P ＜ 0.05) . The serum thyroid hormone level increased gradually with the increase in the dose of levothyroxine sodium in groups LS1-4 ( P ＜ 0.05) . The CK-MB activity was significantly higher, while the HSP70 expression lower in groups LS3-4 than in groups LS1-2 (P ＜ 0.05). Conclusion Preconditioning with levothyroxine sodium 10 μg/100 g can alleviate the myocardial I/R injury in immature rats and does not lead to the increase in the level of thyroid hormone, and the up-regulation of HSP70 and MHCa mRNA expression may be involved in the mechanism. Key words: Thyroid hormones; Ischemic preconditioning; Myocardial reperfusion injury; Child