Abstract:

BACKGROUND: The treatment of autologous pericardium transplantation has been widely applied in clinics, mainly involving cardiovascular repair and reconstruction, the treatment of ocular surface disease. The study addressing protection effects of autologous pericardium transplantation on the heart with ischemia injury is rarely reported. The investigations on the safety and protection effects of autologous pericardial transplantation on the heart with ischemia injury are of important significance.
OBJECTIVE: To explore effect of autologous pericardial transplantation on cardiac electrical activity and the protective effects on myocardial ischemia.
METHODS: Rongchang pork pigs and Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: autologous pericardium transplantation, myocardial ischemia, and myocardial ischemia + autologous pericardium transplantation. The model of myocardial ischemia was established by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery in the groups of myocardial ischemia and myocardial ischemia + autologous pericardium transplantation. The model of transplantation was established by autologous pericardium transplant with flap in the groups of autologous pericardium transplantation and myocardial ischemia + autologous pericardium transplantation.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Porcine electrocardiogram monitoring results showed that, superventricular premature beat was frequently observed in each group of pigs; the ventricular premature beat was occasional observed in autologous pericardium transplantation group, ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation did not appear. Compared with myocardial ischemia group, the ventricular premature beat decreased and the heart function was improved in myocardial ischemia + autologous pericardium transplantation group (P < 0.05). Rat electrocardiogram monitoring results showed that, the ventricular fibrillation did not appear in autologous pericardium transplantation group, the lethal ventricular fibrillation did not appear in myocardial ischemia and myocardial ischemia + autologous pericardium transplantation groups. Compared with myocardial ischemia group, the heart function was improved, the apoptosis index decreased, the expressions of Bcl-2 protein increased, the expressions of Caspase-3 protein decreased in myocardial ischemia + autologous pericardium transplantation group (P < 0.05). The autologous pericardium transplantation with flap cannot induce malignant ventricular arrhythmia and is relatively safe; the ventricular premature beat is reduced, the cardiac function is improved, which is possibly related to the inhibition of apoptosis in myocardial ischemic area.

Key words: transplants, pericardium, heart valves, myocardial infarction, ventricular premature complexes