Background Although it is known that caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) and its derivatives could ameliorate acute myocardial injury, their effects on chronic myocardial ischemia (CMI) were not reported. This study aimed to investigate the potential effect of caffeic acid p-nitro phenethyl ester (CAPE-pNO 2 , a derivative of CAPE) on CMI and underlying mechanisms.Methods SD rats were subjected to high-fat-cholesterol-diet (HFCD) and vitamin D 3 , and the H9c2 cells were treated with LPS to establish CMI model, followed by the respective treatment with saline, CAPE or CAPE-pNO 2 .Results In vivo, CAPE-pNO 2 could reduce serum lipid levels, and improve impaired cardiac function and morphological changes. Data of related assays indicated that CAPE-pNO 2 down-regulated the expression of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and galectin-3 (Gal-3). Besides, CAPE-pNO 2 decreased collagen deposition, the number of apoptotic cardiomyocytes and some related downstream proteins of Gal-3 in the CMI rats. Interestingly, the effects of CAPE-pNO 2 on TGF-β1, Gal-3 and other proteins expression in lung were consistent with that in heart. In vitro, CAPE-pNO 2 could attenuate the brosis, apoptosis and in ammation by activating TGF-β1/Gal-3 pathway in LPS-induced H9c2 cell. However, CAPE-pNO 2 -mediated cardioprotection can be eliminated when treated with modi ed citrus pectin (MCP, an inhibitor of Gal-3). And in comparison, CAPE-pNO 2 presented stronger effects than CAPE.
ConclusionThis study indicates that CAPE-pNO 2 may ameliorate CMI by suppressing brosis, in ammation and apoptosis via the TGF-β1/Gal-3 pathway in vivo and in vitro.