Leonurine Attenuates Pressure-Overload Cardiac Hypertrophy Induced By Abdominal Aortic Constriction In Rats

Abstract Background: Myocardial hypertrophy occurs in many cardiovascular diseases. Leonurine (Leo) is commonly used for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. However, whether it can prevent cardiac hypertrophy is not known. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect and mechanism of Leonurine (Leo) against pressure-overload cardiac hypertrophy induced by abdominal aortic constriction (AAC) in rats. Methods: To answer this question, we prove it in the following way: Cardiac function was evaluated by hemodynamic; the left ventricle enlargement was measured by heart weight index (HWI) and left ventricular mass index (LVWI); myocardial tissue changes and myocardial cell diameter (MD) were determined by Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining; theβ-myosin heavy chain(β-MHC)and atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), which are recognized as a marker of cardiac hypertrophy, were determined by Real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR), then another gene phospholipase C (PLC), inositol triphosphate (IP3), which associated with RAS were determined by Western blot(WB). angiotensin II (Ang II), angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) were determined by ELISA, WB and qRT-PCR methods. Finally, we measured the level of Ca2+ by microplate method and the protooncogene c-fos and c-myc mRNA in left ventricular myocardium by qRT-PCR.Results: Compare with control group, Leonurine can improve systolic dysfunction; inhibit the increase of left cardiac; inhibit myocardial cells were abnormally large and restrain the changes of cardiac histopathology; decrease the expression of β-MHC, ANF, Ang II, AT1R, c-fos and c-myc mRNA and the protein levels of PLC, IP3, AngII and AT1R in left ventricular myocardium, in addition, the content of Ca2+ also decrease. Conclusion: Therefore, Leonurine can inhibit cardiac hypertrophy induced by AAC and its effects may be associated with RAS.