| Abstract: | Activated cardiac apoptosis was found in hypertension but less information regarding the effects of protocatechuic acid on cardiac apoptosis in hypertension was available. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the anti-apoptotic and pro-survival effects of protocatechuic acid on hypertensive hearts. Methods. Eighteen spontaneously hypertensive rats, were divided into sedentary group(SHR) and underwent feeding PCA 0.01mg/ml,(0.2/kg BW) mixed in water,3 times per week(on the first ,third and fifth days of each week)for 8 weeks (SHR-PCA). Ten Wistar Kyoto rats as a sedentary normotensive group (WKY). After protocatechuic acid or sedentary status, the excised hearts were measured by H&E staining, TUNEL assay and Western Blotting. Results. TUNEL-positive apoptotic cells were increased in SHR groups and decreased in SHR-PCA groups. Protein levels of Fas ligand, Fas death receptor, Fas-associated death domain (FADD), Bid, t-Bid, Bax, cytochrome c, activated caspase-8, activated caspase 9 and activated caspase-3 were decreased in SHR-PCA group compared with SHR group. Protein levels of IGF1, IGF1R, p-PI3K, p-Akt, Bcl-xL, and Bcl-2 (cardiac pro-survival pathway) become more activated in SHR-PCA groups than SHR and WKY. Conclusions. Protocatechuic acid prevented hypertension-enhanced cardiac Fas-dependent and mitochondria-dependent apoptotic pathways and enhanced cardiac pro-survival pathway in rat models. Our findings demonstrate a new therapeutic effect of protocatechuic acid on hypertensive heart for preventing apoptosis and enhancing survival. |
