The therapeutic effect of Jiawei Danshen Decoction on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury by inhibiting H₂S-mediated autophagy signaling pathway

ObjectiveTo investigate the protective effects of Jiawei Danshen Decoction (加味丹参饮, JWDSD) on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) via the regulation of serum Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) and cardiac Beclin1, light Chain 3A/B (LC3A/B), p62, and autophagy protein5 (ATG5).

MethodsSeventy specific pathogen free (SPF) Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly assigned to seven groups (n = 10 in each group), including normal control, sham operation, MIRI model (model), ischemic preconditioning, NaHS, JWDSD, and JWDSD +CSE inhibitor (JWDSD + PPG) groups, and orally administered the indicated drugs for 14 d. Two hours after the last administration, the left anterior decreased branch of the coronary artery of each rat in model, NaHS, JWDSD, and JWDSD + PPG groups was ligated for 30 min and subsequently reperfused for 90 min to establish the MIRI model, and the rats in the sham operation group were only exposed to the thorax after surgery without coronary ligation. Blood samples were collected to detect H₂S levels using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Heart tissues were harvested for histopathological and immunohistochemical examination and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis of Beclin1 and ATG5 mRNA expression and Western blot analysis of Beclin1, LC3A/B, and p62 protein expression.

Results(1) The serum H₂S content in model group rats was significantly reduced (P < 0.01), JWDSD significantly increased the serum H₂S content of model group rats (P < 0.01), and the CSE inhibitor (PPG) significantly reduced H₂S levels in the JWDSD group rats (P < 0.01). (2) Compared with the normal control group, the myocardial tissue necrosis and cell destruction occurred in the MIRI model group, and JWDSD could alleviate the myocardial tissue necrosis of model rats, but the ameliorative effect of JWDSD could be reversed by PPG. (3) Beclin1, LC3A/B, and p62 expression levels in the heart tissues of the model group were significantly increased (P < 0.001), whereas decreased by JWDSD (P < 0.05, P < 0.01, and P < 0.001, respectively), and the inhibitory effects of JWDSD on Beclin1, LC3A/B, and p62 expression were partially reversed by PPG (P < 0.01, P < 0.05, and P < 0.01, respectively). (4) The expression levels of autophagy-related genes Beclin1 and ATG5 were significantly increased in the model group (P < 0.001). JWDSD clearly downregulated the expression levels of Beclin1 and ATG5 (P < 0.05 and P < 0.001, respectively), which were reversed by PPG (P < 0.001).

ConclusionOur experimental data show that JWDSD can exhibit an anti-MIRI role by increasing endogenous H₂S generation, and downregulating the expression of Beclin1, LC3A/B, p62 and ATG5, which are related to inhibiting autophagy signaling.