Resveratrol attenuates cardiac function impairment in plateau hypobaric hypoxia rats

Abstract

Objective: To study the protective effects of resveratrol (RSV) on cardiac function in rats with high altitude hypobaric hypoxia and its mechanisms. Methods: Thirty-six rats were randomly divided into control group, hypobaric hypoxia group (HH) and hypobaric hypoxia + RSV group (HH+RSV) according to the random number, 12 rats in each group. Rats in the HH and HH+RSV groups were subjected to chronic long-term high altitude hypobaric hypoxia intervention for 8 weeks in a hypobaric chamber at a simulated altitude of 6 000 m for 20 h / d. The rats of HH + RSV were fed with RSV at a dose of 400 mg/(kg·d). The rats were tested once a week for body weight and twice a week for food intake. Before execution, the rats were tested by blood cell analyzer for routine blood parameters and echocardiogram for cardiac function parameters in each group. The routine blood indexes of each group were measured by blood cell analyzer, the cardiac function indexes of each group were measured by echocardiography, myocardial hypertrophy was evaluated by HE staining, myocardial tissue reactive oxygen levels were evaluated by dihydroethidium (DHE) staining. Oxidative stress was evaluated by serum and myocardial tissue total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), superoxide dismutase activity (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content. Results: Compared with the C group, the body mass and food intake of rats were decreased significantly (P＜0.05) in HH group, while compared with the C group, RSV had no significant effects on the body mass and food intake of rats in the HH+RSV group (P＞0.05). Compared with the C group, the levels of erythrocytes and hemoglobin of rats in the HH group were increased significantly (P＜0.05), while the platelet concentration was decreased significantly(P＜0.05); compared with the HH group, the erythrocyte and hemoglobin levels were decreased significantly (P＜0.05) and platelet concentration was increased significantly(P＜0.05) in rats of the HH+RSV group. Compared with the C group, the cardiac coefficient, myocardial fiber diameter and thickness were significantly increased in the HH group (P＜0.05); compared with the HH group, the cardiac coefficient and myocardial fiber thickness were significantly decreased in the HH+RSV group (P＜0.05). Echocardiographic analysis showed a significant increase in ventricular wall thickness (P＜0.05) and a significant decrease in ejection fraction and cardiac output (P＜0.05) in the HH group compared with the C group, and a significant decrease in ventricular wall thickness and a significant improvement in cardiac function (P＜0.05) in the HH+RSV group compared with the HH group. The results of DHE staining showed that myocardial tissue reactive oxygen levels were increased significantly in the HH group compared with the C group (P＜0.05); myocardial tissue reactive oxygen levels were significantly restored in the HH+RSV group compared with the HH group (P＜0.05). The oxidative/antioxidant results showed that the serum and myocardial T-AOC and SOD activities were decreased significantly (P＜0.05) and the MDA level was increased significantly (P＜0.05) in the HH group compared with the C group; the serum and myocardial T-AOC and SOD activities were increased significantly (P＜0.05) and the MDA level was decreased significantly(P＜0.05) in the HH+RSV group compared with the HH group. Conclusion: Long-term plateau hypobaric hypoxia exposure leads to myocardial hypertrophy and reduced cardiac function in rats. Resveratrol intervention significantly improves myocardial hypertrophy and cardiac function in rats caused by altitude hypobaric hypoxia exposure, which is closely related to reducing of reactive oxygen species and improving myocardial oxidative stress levels.