Cardioprotective Effect of Coenzyme Q(10) on Apoptotic Myocardial Cell Death by Regulation of Bcl-2 Gene Expression

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) on apoptotic myocardial cell death in rat model of heart ischemia and reperfusion I/R injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighteen rats (200–250 g) were divided into three groups of 6 rats in each. Group I (sham-operated control group): this is the control group. The animals received the surgical procedure without IR injury or any drug treatment. Group II (I/R group): ischemia was accomplished by the occlusion of coronary artery for 30 min followed by reperfusion for 45 min and Group-III (Coenzyme Q(10) treated group): Treated with CoQ(10) at a dose of 1 mg/kg, postoperative for 7 days before induction of IR injury. RESULTS: The study revealed that pretreatment with CoQ(10) has shown protective effect on apoptotic rat heart and agreed with earlier reports that CoQ(10) significantly protects from oxidative stress and cytopathological changes caused by cardiac ischemia followed by reperfusion and attenuated decrease of antioxidant enzymes. Nitric oxide production in the heart of ischemic rats was significantly increased by the pretreatment with CoQ(10) in comparison with IR group. CONCLUSIONS: CoQ(10) protects against cardiac apoptosis induced by IR injury by significantly decreasing the apoptotic DNA and regulating the expression of Bcl-2 gene.