Effect of Sodium Tanshinone ⅡA Sulfonate on Phosphorylation of Extracellular Signal-regulated Kinasel/2 in Angiotensin Ⅱ-induced Hypertrophy of Myocardial Cells

Objective： To observe the effects of sodium tanshinone ⅡA sulfonate （STS） on angiotensin Ⅱ （Ang Ⅱ）-induced hypertrophy of myocardial cells through the expression of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase （p-ERK1/2）. Methods： In the primary culture of neonatal rat myocardial cells, the total protein content in myocardial cells was determined by coomassie brilliant blue and the protein synthesis rate was measured by [3H]-Leucine incorporation as indexes for hypertrophy of myocardial cells. The expression of p-ERK1/2 was determined using Western blot and immunofluorescence labeling. Results： （1） The total protein and protein synthesis rate increased significantly in contrast to the control group after the myocardial cells were stimulated by Ang Ⅱ （1 μ mol/L） for 24 h; STS markedly inhibited the increment of the total protein level induced by Ang Ⅱ and the syntheses of protein. （2） After pretreatment of myocardial cells with Ang Ⅱ （1 μmol/L） for 5 min, the p-ERK1/2 protein expression was increased, with the most obvious effect shown at about 10 min; pretreatment of myocardial cells with STS at different doses （2, 10, 50μmol/L） for 30 min resulted in obvious inhibition of the expression of p-ERK1/2 stimulated by Ang Ⅱ in a dose-dependent manner. （3） After the myocardial cells were stimulated by AngⅡ （1 μ mol/L）, the immunofluorescence of ERK1/2 rapidly appeared in the nucleus. The activation and translocation process of ERK1/2 induced by Ang Ⅱ was blocked distinctly by STS. （Conclusion： STS inhibited the myocardial cell hypertrophy induced by Ang Ⅱ, and the mechanism may be associated with the inhibition of p-ERK1/2 expression.

Protective Effect of Sodium Tanshinone ⅡA Sulfonate on Injury of Small Intestine in Rats with Sepsis and Its Mechanism

Objective： To explore the protective effect of sodium tanshinone ⅡA sulfonate （STS） on small intestine injury in rats with sepsis and its possible mechanism. Methods： According to a random number table, 24 Tats were randomly divided into 3 groups： sham operation group （sham group）, sepsis model group （model group） and STS treatment group （STS group）, with 8 Tats in each group. A rat model of sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture （CLP） for 5 h. STS （1 mg/kg） was slowly injected through the right external jugular vein after CLP. The histopathologic changes in the intestine tissue were observed under a light microscope, and the intestinal epithelial cell apoptosis was evaluated by terminal deoxynucleoddyl transferase （TdT）-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling （TUNEL） method. The expressions of Bcl-2, Bax and nuclear factor κB （NF- κ B） p65 in the intestinal tissue was determined by Western blot. The levels of tumor necrosis factor α （TNF-α） and interleukin 6 （IL-6） in the intestinal tissue were determined using enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay （ELISA）. Results： Obvious injuries were observed in the intestinal tissue in the CLP group compared with the sham group. The expression of NF- K B p65 and the levels of TNF- α and IL-6 were up-regulated after CLP, the apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells was increased after CLP, and the ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax was decreased. STS post- treatment could attenuate the injury on the intestinal tissue induced by CLP, decrease the apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells and the levels of NF- κ B p65, TNF-α and IL-6, and increase the ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax. Conclusion： STS can protect the small intestine in rats with sepsis, and the mechanism may be associated with the inhibition of intestinal epithelial apoptosis and the reduction of activation of inflammatory cytokines.

Effect of Sodium Tanshinone ⅡA Sulfonate on Cardiac Myocyte Hypertrophy and Its Underlying Mechanism

Objective： To investigate the effects of sodium tanshinone Ⅱ A sulfonate （STS） on the hypertrophy induced by angiotensin Ⅱ（Ang Ⅱ） in primary cultured neonatal rat cardiac myocytes. Methods： The effect of STS on cytotoxicity was evaluated using the 3-（4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl）-3,5- phenytetrazoliumromide （MTT） assay. As indexes for cardiocyte hypertrophy, cell size was determined by phase contrast microscopy and protein synthesis rate was measured by 3H-leucine incorporation. The proto-oncogene c-fos mRNA expression of cardiocytes was assessed using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR）. Results： STS could inhibit cardiocyte hypertrophy, increase the protein synthesis rate and enhance proto-oncogene c-fos mRNA expression in cardiocytes induced by Ang Ⅱ（P〈0.01）, with an effect similar to that of Valsartan, the Ang Ⅱ receptor antagonist. Conclusion： STS can prevent the hypertrophy of cardiac myocytes induced by Ang Ⅱ, which may be related to its inhibition of the expression of proto-oncogene c-fos mRNA.