Protective effect and mechanism of estrogen receptor β on myocardial infarction in mice

The protective effect and the mechanism of estrogen receptor β (ERβ) on myocardial infarction (MI) in mice were explored. A total of 12 female Tg-ERβ transgenic mice and 12 non-transgenic littermate control (NLC) wild-type C57 mice were used for the present study. Both transgenic and wild-type mice had similar baseline data such as age, sex, and weight. The mouse model of MI was established by coronary artery ligation method, and the cardiac structure and function changes of the mouse were observed by ultrasonic echocardiography on days 1, 3 and 7 after the operation. RT-PCR method was used to detect the expression of collagen I, α-SMA, TGF-β mRNA in the mouse heart, and Masson staining was used to detect cardiac fibrosis. At 3 days after operation, echocardiographic posterior wall thickness at end diastole (PWTD) and end systolic PWTS of Tg-ERβ mice were significantly reduced, and left ventricular systolic diameter and left ventricular diastolic diameter significantly increased (P<0.05) compared with NLC mice. The levels of expression of Tg-ERβ cardiac tissue collagen I, α-SMA, TGF-β mRNA were significantly lower than those in the NLC mice (P<0.05). In conclusion, Tg-ERβ exerts a protective effect on MI.