Abstract： Objective To observe the expression changes of microRNA 1 （miRNA-1） and microRNA 21（miRNA-21） after ischemic preconditioning （IPC）, ischemic postconditioning （IPO） and remote ischemic preconditioning （RIPC）in an ischemia-reperfusion rat heart model in vitro, as well as the expression of their target protein heat shock protein 70 （HSP70） and programmed cell death 4 （PDCD4）, and evaluate whether miRNA are involved in endogenous cardio-protective mechanism. Methods The Langendorff-perfused Sprague-Dawley rat hearts were randomly assigned into one of the four groups, control group （CON group, n=12）, ischemia preconditioning group （IPC group， n=12） , ischemia postconditioning group （IPO group， n=12） and remote ischemia preconditioning group （RIPC group，n=12）. Cardiac function was digitalized and analyzed. The expression of HSP70, PDCD4, B-cell lymphoma/leukemia-2 （Bcl-2） and Bax was detected by Western blotting. The expression of miRNA-1 and miRNA-21 was detected by real-time reverse transcriotion-polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR）. Assessment of cardiac infarct size and myocardial apoptosis was determined using triphenyltetrazolium chloride （TTC） assay and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling assay （TUNEL） assay respectively. Results The expressions of miRNA-1 and miRNA-21 were up-regulated in IPC group, but the expression of miRNA-1 was down-regulated in RIPC group and IPO group （P＜0.05）. The expressionsof PDCD4, HSP70 and Bax were down-regulated in ‘conditioning’ groups compared with CON group （P＜0.05）. The expression of Bcl-2 was not statistically different among the four groups. The infarct size and the myocardial apoptosis in ‘conditioning’ hearts were significantly decreased compared with CON group （P＜0.05）. Conclusion The expressions of the miRNA-1 and miRNA-21 are different in IPC, RIPC and IPO groups, and their target proteins are not inversely correlated with the miRNAs in all the ‘conditioning’ groups.
Objective To investigate the effects of ischemic postconditioning （IPO） on inflammatory response inischemia-reperfusion （IR） injury of rat lungs in vivo. Methods Forty SD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups inclu-ding a sham surgery group （S group），a 30-minute IR group （I/R-30 group），a 120-minute IR group（IR-120 group），a 30-minute IPO group （IPO-30 group），and a 120-minute IPO group （IPO-120 group）. There were 8 rats in each group. All therats received left thoracotomy after anesthesia. In the sham surgery group，a line was only placed around the left hilum butnot fastened. In the I/R-30 group and I/R-120 group，a line was fastened to block the blood flow of the left lung for 1 hour，then loosened for reperfusion for 30 minutes and 120 minutes respectively. In the IPO-30 group and IPO-120 group，afterblocking the blood flow of the left lung for 1 hour，the left hilum was fastened for 10 seconds and loosened for 10 seconds（repeating 3 times for 1 minute），then the line was loosened for 30 minutes and 120 minutes respectively. The levels of interleukin-10 （IL-10） in lung tissues and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 （sICAM-1） in plasma were measured. Histopathological changes of lung tissues were observed and diffuse alveolar damage （DAD） scores was calculated.Results The levels of plasma sICAM-1 in the I/R-30 group and I/R-120 group were significantly higher than that of S group ［（2.140±0.250）μg/L vs. （0.944±0.188）μg/L，P=0.003；（2.191±0.230）μg/L vs. （0.944±0.188）μg/L，P=0.003］. IL-10levels in lung tissues in the I/R-30group and I/R-120 group were also significantly higher than that of S group［（15.922±0.606）pg/mg pro vs. （7.261±0.877）pg/mg pro，P=0.037；（17.421±1.232）pg/mg pro vs. （7.261±0.877）pg/mg pro，P=0.042］. Pathologic lesions of lung tissues in the I/R-30 group and I/R-120 group were more severe than that of S group. After IPO, plasma sICAM-1 levels in the IPO-30 group and IPO-120 group were significantly lower than those in the I/R-30group and I/R-120 group respectively ［（1.501±0.188）μg/L vs.（2.140±0.250）μg/L，P=0.038；（1.350±0.295）μg/L vs.（2.191±0.230）μg/L，P=0.005］. IL-10 levels in lung tissues in the IPO-30 group and IPO-120 group were significantly higherthan those in the I/R-30 group and I/R-120 group respectively ［（20.950±1.673）pg/mg pro vs.（15.922±0.606）pg/mgpro，P=0.008；（25.334±1.173）pg/mg pro vs.（17.421±1.232）pg/mg pro，P=0.006］. DAD scores in the IPO-30 group andIPO-120 group were significantly lower than those in the I/R-30 group and I/R-120 group respectively ［6.8±1.4 vs. 11.5±1.9，P=0.007；7.5±1.6 vs. 13.2±1.7，P=0.005］. Pathological lesions of the lung tissues of IPO groups were less severe than those of I/R groups. Conclusion IPO can attenuate IR injury by inhibiting inflammatory response in rat lungs.