[Liraglutide attenuates myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury possibly through reducing cardiomyocytes apoptosis and oxidation in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of liraglutide on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats and related mechanisms. METHODS: Twenty-four male SD rats were divided into sham group, I/R injury group, and liraglutide group by table of random number (n = 8 each). Myocardial I/R injury model was established by occlusion of the left anterior descending artery for 30 min followed by 2 h of reperfusion. HE stain method was used to observe cardiomyocyte status under light microscope, myocardial tissue samples were stained with TTC to measure the myocardial infarction size, protein expression of p53 and caspase-3 was analyzed by immunohistochemical technique and Western blot respectively, xanthine oxidase method was used to detect SOD activity, Thiobarbituric acid method was used to measure the concentration of MDA. RESULTS: Compared with the I/R group, the degree of myocardial damage of liraglutide group was significantly reduced and the myocardial infarct area was significantly lower ((44 ± 8) % vs. (62 ± 8) %, P<0.05) while protein expression of caspase-3 and p53 in liraglutide group was significantly downregulated (0.19 ± 0.03 vs. 0.24 ± 0.02 and 0.27 ± 0.03 vs. 0.39 ± 0.04, P<0.05). SOD activity was significantly increased and MDA concentration was significantly decreased (74.20 ± 11.10 vs. 44.04 ± 14.30 and 4.41 ± 1.07 vs. 8.72 ± 2.20, P<0.05) in liraglutide group compared to I/R group. CONCLUSION: Liraglutide protects myocardium against I/R injury possibly through reducing cardiomyocytes apoptosis and oxidation.