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Published on: June 29, 2014
[ERK expression and activation in myocardial hypertrophy of spontaneously hypertensive rats with different ages]
Zhao-yang Huang1, Zhong Liu, Jian-hua Zhu
1Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliate Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310031, China.
Objective:
To investigate the expression and activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) in myocardial hypertrophy of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) with different ages.
Methods:
SHRs and Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were divided into 4 groups (5-, 8-,14-, 24-week old) respectively. The ratio of left ventricle weight to body weight (LVW/BW) was measured as the indicator of myocardial hypertrophy. The basal ERK expression (b-ERK) and phosphorylated-ERK (p-ERK) in myocardial tissue were examined by Western blot.
Result:
The blood pressure of SHR was significantly higher than that of age-matched WKY rats from 8-week-old (P<0.001). The ratio of LVW/BW in SHR was increased significantly from 14-week-old (P<0.01). There was no significant difference of b-ERK expression between SHR and age-matched WKY rats. The p-ERK level of 5-week-old SHR was similar to that of 5-week-old WKY rats. The p-ERK level of SHR was significantly higher than that of age-matched WKY rats from 8-week-old to 24-week-old (P<0.01). The ratio of LVW/BW was positively related to p-ERK level but not related to b-ERK.
Conclusion:
The activation of ERK may play an important role in the development of myocardial hypertrophy caused by hypertension.
