Resveratrol attenuates acute hypoxic injury in cardiomyocytes: Correlation with inhibition of iNOS-NO signaling pathway

Aim: To investigate the effect of resveratrol on hypoxia-induced cardiomyocytes injury and its potential mechanism. Methods: Cell injury was evaluated by supernatant lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay and cell viability. NO production in cardiomyocytes were assessed by Griess reagent, expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1 alpha) were determined reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). HIF-1 alpha protein was determined by Western blot. Results: Hypoxia increased LDH release, decreased cell viability. Pretreatment with resveratrol (10, 25, and 50 mu M) decreased LDH release and increased cell viability. Resveratrol suppressed the mRNA expression of iNOS as well as NO production in hypoxia-induced cardiomyocytes. Consistent with the inhibitory effect on iNOS protein expression, resveratrol inhibited iNOS mRNA expression. Resveratrol also inhibited HIF-1 alpha mRNA expression. Conclusions: These results suggested that resveratrol attenuates acute hypoxic injury in cardiomyocytes, and the mechanism might be associated with inhibition of iNOS-NO signaling pathway via HIF-1 alpha. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.