The protective effect of Apelin-13 against cardiac hypertrophy through activating the PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling pathway

Abstract

Objective(s): To determine the protective effect of Apelin-13 on cardiac hypertrophy through activating the PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling pathway.Materials and Methods: The phenylephrine-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy model was established in H9C2 cells in vitro. Electroporation transfection technology was utilized to prepare and screen the H9C2 cells inducing low expression of the angiotensin type one receptor-related protein (Si-APJ). H9C2 and Si-APJ cells were divided independently into five groups: the control group, the PE group, the PE+Apelin group, the PE+Rapa group, and the PE+Apelin+Rapa group. RT-PCR was performed to analyze the mRNA expression levels of myosin heavy chain 7 (MYH7). Expression of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway proteins and MYH7 was investigated by western blot.Results: The expression of PI3K/AKT/mTOR phosphorylated proteins was significantly higher in the PE group compared with the PE+Apelin group in H9C2 cells (P0.05).Conclusion: Apelin-13 reduces PE-induced cardiac hypertrophy by activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.

Keywords

• akt
• apelin-13
• cardiac hypertrophy
• mtor
• pi3k