Objective: To investigate the effects of glycine on apoptosis in murine cardiomyocyte suffering from ischemia and hypoxia.
Methods: The primary passage of cultured cardiomyocytes from neonatal rats were subjected to ischemia and hypoxia, and the cells were divided into IH (without other treatment), and G (with treatment of 5 mmol/L glycine) groups. Normal murine cardiomyocytes served as control (C group). Cardiomyocytes were cultured for 6 hours in vitro. Apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential and its distribution, the condition of mitochondria permeability transition pore (mPTP) were observed with expression of fluorescence intensity. The activity of caspase-3 was observed by Laser Scanning staining.
Results: (1) Apoptosis: the fluorescence intensity in IH group was obviously higher than that in G and C groups (P < 0.01). (2) Mitochondrial membrane potential: the fluorescence intensity in IH group was 32 +/- 7, which was obviously lower than that in G and C groups (52 +/- 4, 73 +/- 4, respectively, P < 0.01). (3) The condition of mPTP: the intensity in IH group was 27 +/- 4, which was obviously lower than that in G and C groups (62 +/- 8, 90 +/- 7, respectively, P < 0.01). (4) The activity of caspase-3: the activity of caspase-3 in IH group was obviously higher than that in G and C groups (P < 0.01).
Conclusion: Glycine can inhibit apoptosis in cardiomyocytes subjected to ischemia and hypoxia,and the effect may be attributable to changes in mitochondrial membrane potential, lessening opening of mPTP, alleviation of calcium overload , and decrease in activity of caspase-3.