Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 10, 2026
A Hypoxia-Reoxygenation Injury Model in Self-Assembling Human Cardioids
Published on: March 17, 2026
[Study on injury to microtubule of cardiomyocytes at early post-hypoxia stage]
1Institute of Burn Research, Southwest Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, The Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, PR China.
Objective:
To investigate the degree of injury to microtubule of myocardium at early post-hypoxia stage.
Methods:
Cardiomyocytes from Wistar rats were isolated and cultured, and they were then divided into normal control and hypoxia groups. The distribution and morphological changes in microtubules were observed with laser confocal microscopy and scanning electron microscope at 10, 20, 30 post-hypoxia minutes (PHM) and 1 post-hypoxia hour (PHH). Then the fluorescence intensity of alpha-microtubule was detected with RT-PCR, the morphology of microtubule was observed, and the expression of dissociative alpha-microtubule was determined by Western blot.
Results:
Compared with normal control group, the bead-like structure of the microtubule in hypoxia group disappeared at 10 PHM, but no obvious change was observed in the distribution and number of microtubules. Despite the disappearance of bead-like structure of the microtubule, the microtubule derangement and loss of microtubule at the edge of cell were observed at 20 PHM. The fragmentation, derangement of texture, and loss of regularity in cardiomyocytes were observed at 30 PHM and 1 PHH. The fluorescence intensity of alpha-microtubule in hypoxia group was evidently decreased than that in normal group in a time-dependent manner. The expression of dissociative alpha-microtubule in hypoxia group at 10 PHM (46,644 +/- 145) was obviously higher than that in normal group (13,357 +/- 98, P < 0.01), and its increase was maintained with elapse of time.
Conclusion:
Microtubule injury to cardiomyocytes occurs at early stage of post-hypoxia, with destruction of its structure and distribution.
Insights
Early hypoxia causes microtubule injury in cardiomyocytes, leading to structural damage and altered distribution. This microtubule damage occurs rapidly after oxygen deprivation.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Biology
- Cell Biology
- Biochemistry
Context:
- Hypoxia, a condition of oxygen deprivation, significantly impacts cellular function.
- Microtubules are crucial cytoskeletal components involved in maintaining cell structure and transport.
- Understanding early cellular responses to hypoxia is vital for developing therapeutic strategies.
Purpose:
- To investigate the structural and distributional changes of myocardial microtubules during the early stages following hypoxia.
- To quantify alterations in alpha-microtubule expression and dissociative alpha-microtubule levels post-hypoxia.
Summary:
- Cardiomyocytes exposed to hypoxia showed rapid microtubule damage, including loss of bead-like structures by 10 minutes post-hypoxia (PHM).
- Further microtubule derangement, fragmentation, and loss at the cell periphery were observed at 20 PHM and beyond.
- A time-dependent decrease in alpha-microtubule fluorescence intensity and a significant increase in dissociative alpha-microtubule expression were noted post-hypoxia.
Impact:
- Reveals that microtubule injury in cardiomyocytes is an early event in the post-hypoxia phase.
- Highlights the destruction of microtubule structure and distribution as key consequences of early hypoxia.
- Provides a basis for further research into the role of microtubule dysfunction in hypoxic cardiac injury.
