Effect of ferulic acid on the apoptosis and β-tubulin of rabbit sinoatrial node cell in vitro injured by low glucose and hypoxic

Objective To observe the effects of ferulic acid on cell apoptosis and β-tubulin in vitro of rabbit sinoatrial node injured by hypoxia and low glucose, and to explore its mechanism. Methods Model cells were established on sinoatrial node cells from newborn rabbit by performing deprivation of oxygen and glucose. Then the model cells were divided into 5 groups: a normal control group, a model group, ferulic acid high, medium and low dose group. The normal control group and the model group were treated with equal volume of culture medium, and the three volume ferulic acid groups were treated with ferulic acid of 100, 20, and 10 μg/ml respectively. Flow cytometry, laser scanning confocal microscopy were used to observe the sinoatrial node apoptosis rate and cytoskeleton protein β-tubulin in each group. Results Apoptosis rate of the model group was obviously higher than the normal group (56.95% ± 11.99% vs. 31.45% ± 6.32%, P<0.01), while β-tubulin cleavage was significantly lower than the normal group (5.141 ± 0.218 vs. 8.035 ± 0.762, P<0.01). Apoptosis rate of ferulic acid high, medium dose group were significantly lower than the model group (24.85% ± 6.34%, 26.70% ± 9.84% vs. 56.95% ± 11.99%, P<0.01), β-tubulin structure were significantly more complete compared with the model group (7.927 ± 0.357, 5.961 ± 0.351 vs. 5.141 ± 0.218, P<0.01). Conclusions Ferulic acid can suppress apoptosis of sinoatrial node cells caused by low glucose and oxygen. Protecting the sinoatrial node cell skeleton protein of β-tubulin may be one of the mechanisms. Key words: Ferulic acid; Sinoatrial node cell; Ischemia reperfusion; Apoptosis; β-tubulin