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Protein Kinase C mediates the effects of δ-opioid receptor stimulation on survival and apoptosis in neonatal cardiomyocytes cultured in serum-deprived condition
Dapeng Wang 1, Hongxin Wang 1, Hongxin Wang 2, Guoqiang Wu 1, Yuhong Yang 1, Jing Yang 1, Chunna Liu 1, Tak Ming Wong 3
Affiliations
Article Info
1 Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology & Drug Research, Liaoning Medical College, Liaoning, Hong Kong SAR, China
2 Department of Pharmacology, Liaoning Medical College, No 40, Part 3, Songpo Road, Jinzhou, 121001, China, Email: jyhxwang@163.com
3 Department of Physiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
Abstract
The aims of the present study were to determine whether Delta opioid receptor (δ-OR) stimulation improved the survival of cardiomyocytes cultured in serum-deprived conditions, which impaired their growth. [D-Ala2, D-Leu5]-enkephalin (DADLE), a selective δ-OR agonist, at a concentration range of 0.1 μmol/L to 10 μmol/L for 48 h increased the viability of the cardiomyocyte under serum deprivation conditions. DADLE (0.1 μmol/L) also decreased the early cell apoptosis rate and the expression of Caspase-3. The effects of 0.1 μmol/L DADLE were abolished by 10 μmol · L–1 naltrindole, a selective δ&OR antagonist, or by blockade of protein kinase C (PKC) with its blockers, 10 μmol · L–1 GF109203X or 1 μmol/L staurosporine. Furthermore, 0.1 μmol · L–1 DADLE increased the expression of PKC, an effect abrogated by 10 μmol · L–1 naltrindole. The observations indicate that δ-OR stimulation improves the viability and reduces the apoptosis via PKC pathway in neonatal cardiomyocytes cultured in serum deprived conditions.