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Updated: Feb 10, 2026
Acute Myocardial Infarction in Rats
Published on: February 16, 2011
Expression of adhesion molecules on granulocytes and monocytes following myocardial infarction in rats drinking white
Nikolina Režić-Mužinić1, Angela Mastelić1, Benjamin Benzon2
1Department of Medical Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Split School of Medicine, Split, Croatia.
Insights
White wine consumption significantly increases CD44 expression on monocytes and granulocytes after myocardial infarction (MI). This upregulation may promote cardiac healing by suppressing inflammation, aiding recovery post-MI.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Research
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Neutrophils and monocytes play key roles in cardiac inflammation and healing post-myocardial infarction (MI).
- CD15s, CD11b, and CD44 adhesion molecules on these cells are critical for these processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of white wine consumption on granulocyte and monocyte CD44 expression following surgically induced MI in rats.
Main Methods:
- Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into groups: white wine consumers, water controls, sham surgery, and baseline.
- Flow cytometry was used to analyze CD15s, CD11b, and CD44 expression on whole blood granulocytes and monocytes 24 hours post-MI.
Main Results:
- White wine consumption led to a significant, threefold to fourfold increase in CD44 expression on monocyte subpopulations compared to water controls.
- No significant differences were observed between sham and baseline groups for CD11b+CD44+ percentage and CD44+ median fluorescence intensity.
Conclusions:
- Upregulation of CD44 on monocytes and granulocytes following white wine intake may create a favorable environment for cardiac regeneration.
- Enhanced CD44 expression could contribute to suppressing post-infarction inflammation, thereby supporting myocardial healing.
Abstract:
Neutrophils and monocytes through their CD15s, CD11b and CD44 adhesion molecules are implicated in the initiation and resolution of cardiac inflammation as well as in healing processes after the myocardial infarction (MI). The aim of this study was to determine the effect of white wine consumption on granulocyte and monocyte CD15s, CD11b, and CD44 expression 24h after the surgically inflicted MI. Granulocytes and monocytes were analyzed by flow cytometry, using whole blood of male Sprague-Dawley rats that consumed white wine for 4 weeks. This group was compared with water only drinking controls, sham animals (subject to surgery without myocardial infarction) and baseline group (intact animals that received no intervention prior to being sacrificed). Sham animals did not differ from baseline animals in CD11b+CD44+ percentage and CD44+ median fluorescence intensity. Wine drinking was associated with striking increase in CD44 expression on monocyte subpopulations. Its expression was three and fourfold increased on monocytes and large monocytes, respectively, relative to the water only drinking controls. Because of known role of CD44 on suppression of post-infarction inflammation, its upregulation on granulocytes and monocytes may significantly contribute to the microenvironment favourable for the cardiac regeneration.
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