Experimental research on the evaluation of left ventricular systolic function by layered speckle tracking before and after berberine treatment in a cardiac hypertrophy rat model.

BACKGROUND

To evaluate the effect of berberine (BBR) intervention on left ventricular hypertrophy and systolic function in rats by ultrasound layered strain imaging and cardiac hypertrophy model.

METHODS

Eighty healthy male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into four groups: group A (normal saline control group), group B [isoproterenol (ISO) induced model group], group C (BBR hydrochloride 5 mg/kg + ISO group) and group D (BBR hydrochloride 10 mg/kg + ISO group). Echocardiography was performed on days 1, 7 and 14, respectively. The myocardial tissue was taken for pathological examination. The key proteins of Rho/ROCK signaling pathway were quantified by immunohistochemical staining.

RESULTS

On day 7, compared with group A, peripheral strain values of the subendocardium and middle myocardium of rats in groups B, C and D were significantly decreased. The absolute value of circumferential strain (CS) in subendocardium and middle myocardium in group B was significantly lower than that in groups C and D (-24.21 -26.68 -27.69; -14.90 -16.48 -17.69). Pathological results showed that compared with the myocardial cells in control group A, the myocardial cells in group B had significantly increased cross-sectional area, and obvious myocardial interstitial fibrosis. Compared with group B, BBR intervention reduced the deposition of fibrosis in groups C and D, group D was more obvious. Immunohistochemical results showed that compared with group A, the protein expression levels of ROCK, RhoA and Bax in groups B, C and D were significantly increased, while the protein expression levels of Bcl-2 were significantly decreased.

CONCLUSIONS

Ultrasound layered strain imaging could evaluate the early left ventricular systolic function in isoprenaline-induced hypertrophy rat model. BBR might inhibit oxidative stress through the Rho/ROCK signaling pathway and slow down the progression of myocardial fibrosis after the formation of cardiac hypertrophy. This provides reference and direction for clinical decision-making and further research.