Postconditioning inhibits myocardial apoptosis during prolonged reperfusion via a JAK2-STAT3-Bcl-2 pathway

BACKGROUND: Postconditioning (PostC) inhibits myocardial apoptosis after ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. The JAK2-STAT3 pathway has anti-apoptotic effects and plays an essential role in the late protection of preconditioning. Our aim was to investigate the anti-apoptotic effect of PostC after prolonged reperfusion and the role of the JAK2-STAT3 pathway in the anti-apoptotic effect of PostC. METHODS: Wistar rats were subjected to 30 minutes ischemia and 2 or 24 hours (h) reperfusion, with or without PostC (three cycles of 10 seconds reperfusion and 10 seconds reocclusion at the onset of reperfusion). Separate groups of rats were treated with a JAK2 inhibitor (AG490) or a PI3K inhibitor (wortmannin) 5 minutes before PostC. Immunohistochemistry was used to analyze Bcl-2 protein levels after reperfusion. mRNA levels of Bcl-2 were detected by qRT-PCR. TTC staining was used to detect myocardial infarction size. Myocardial apoptosis was evaluated by TUNEL staining. Western-blot was used to detect p-STAT3 and p-Akt levels after reperfusion. RESULTS: There was more myocardial apoptosis at 24 h vs 2 h after reperfusion in all groups. PostC significantly reduced myocardial apoptosis and elevated Bcl-2 levels at both 2 and 24 hours after reperfusion. PostC increased p-STAT3 and p-Akt levels after reperfusion. Administration of AG490 reduced p-STAT3 and p-Akt levels and attenuated the anti-apoptotic effect of PostC. Wortmannin also reduced p-Akt levels and attenuated the anti-apoptotic effect of PostC but had no effect on p-STAT3 levels. AG490 abrogated the up-regulation of Bcl-2 by PostC. CONCLUSION: PostC may reduce myocardial apoptosis during prolonged reperfusion via a JAK2-STAT3-Bcl-2 pathway. As a downstream target of JAK2 signaling, activation of PI3K/Akt pathway may be necessary in the protection of PostC.