ANGIOGENIC AND APOPTOTIC PROCESSES IN RAT HEART DEVELOPMENT

GARCÍA LE; CAPELARI DN; CIUFFO GM; FUENTES LB

Rosario

Congreso; Soc de Farmacologia Experimental; 2009

Soc de Farmacologia Experimental

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is essential in vasculogenesis and angiogenesis and regulates migration and differentiation of vascular endothelium, endocardium and cardiac valves. Apoptosis is a process characterized by morphologic changes and energy-dependent biochemical mechanisms.Bcl-2 family members determine cell death programmed and survival. The aim of this study was to analyze the VEGF isoforms and mediators of apoptosis expression during postnatal development in the rat heart. Wistar rat at different postnatal days: PND0, PND8, PND15, PND30 and PND60 were evaluated. Splice variants of VEGF, anti-apoptotic Bcl2 and pro-apoptotic BAX expression were assayed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. VEGF188 and VEGF164 isoforms were mainly expressed in postnatal stages. Significant increase in the VEGF188 expression at PND0, PND8 respect to PND30, PND60 (ANOVA, P<0.001) was observed. No significant changes of VEGF164 expression during the stages studied were detected. VEGF144 and VEGF120 isoforms were expressed only during the first week of development (P<0.05). We found high and no significant differences in BAX expression with ages and significant changes in Bcl2 expression (ANOVA, P<0.007) at PND0,8,30 respect to PND60 (P<0.05). The relation BAX/Bcl2 indicates progressive elevated level to PND15. In conclusion, the observations suggest that occurrence of angiogenesis and apoptosis plays an important role in heart morphogenesis.