Expression of Wnt and NCX1 and its correlation with cardiomyocyte apoptosis in mouse with myocardial hypertrophy.

Objective: To study the correlation between expression of Wnt and NCX1 and cardiomyocyte apoptosis in mouse with myocardial hypertrophy.

Methods: C57B/16 male mice were given the subcutaneous injection of 1 mg/kg isoprenaline to build the myocardial hypertrophy model. After 14 d of model building, mice were executed by cervical vertebra luxation. The ratio of heart weight/body weight (HW/BW) and heart weight/tibia length (HW/TL) was observed and proved using HE staining that detected the size of cardiomyocytes. 40 male C57B/16 mice were randomly divided into the sham group (normal saline) and model group (isoprenaline), with 20 mice in each group. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling was applied to detect the cardiomyocyte apoptosis; while Western blot and immunohistochemistry were employed to detect the expression of Wnt and NCX1. Meanwhile, the correlation between these two proteins and cardiomyocyte apoptosis was explored.

Results: Compared with the sham group, the ratio of HW/BW and HW/TL was increased in the model group, as well as the bigger and hypertrophied cardiomyocytes, decreased number and increased apoptosis of cardiomyocytes, and increased positive expression of Wnt3a, Wnt5a and NCX1 in the cardiac muscle tissue. Besides, there was positive correlation between the expression of Wnt and NCX1 and the cardiomyocyte apoptosis.

Conclusion: The expression of Wnt3a, Wnt5a and NCX1 in mouse with myocardial hypertrophy is increased and positively correlated with the cardiomyocyte apoptosis.