Tianma Gouteng Decoction Exerts Cardiovascular Protection by Upregulating OPG and TRAIL in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

Deng L, Li L, Zhai Y, Michael S, Yang C, Guo R, Chen S, Fan G, Zhao Y, Liu W · Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine · 2020 January

DOI 10.1155/2020/3439191

Objective

To investigate the protective effects, characteristics, and underlying mechanisms of Tianma Gouteng Decoction against cardiovascular damage and remodeling in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Conclusions

Tianma Gouteng Decoction reduced blood pressure, cardiovascular remodeling, and apoptosis while improving cardiac function in spontaneously hypertensive rats, possibly through osteoprotegerin, tumour necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand, protein kinase B, and inhibition of caspase activation.

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Insights

Tianma Gouteng Decoction improves hypertension-induced cardiovascular damage, significantly reversing cardiac and vascular remodeling, and promoting heart function through enhanced antiapoptosis and survival pathways.

In investigating the mechanisms of Tianma Gouteng Decoction (TGD), an approach was adopted that involved treating spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) with TGD and subsequently performing a series of examinations. These examinations included noninvasive measurements of blood pressure, echocardiography to evaluate the structure and function of the heart, sirius red staining to assess cardiac fibrosis, and evaluation of vascular remodeling. Via ELISA, changes in the expression of vasoconstriction and relaxation factors were noted. Further examination of protein changes were verified through western blot method. Comparative analysis between the TGD-treated SHR and untreated ones revealed notable differences. The TGD-treated SHR exhibited traits more closely aligned to normotensive rats, with lower blood pressure, reduced cardiac and vascular remodeling and improved heart function. Significantly, TGD was found to exert an antiapoptosis effect in SHR, attributed to the upregulation of OPG, TRAIL, and DR5, and downregulation of caspases. Demonstrating the cardioprotective properties of OPG and TRAIL in SHR underscored the importance of these factors in potential treatment options for hypertension-induced cardiovascular damage.