Pretreatment with neuregulin-1 improves cardiac electrophysiological properties in a rat model of myocardial infarction

Neuregulin-1 (NRG-1) is considered to be a potential therapeutic agent for cardiovascular diseases due to its diverse protective effects. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of NRG-1 on cardiac electrophysiology in rats with myocardial infarction (MI). The rats were randomly divided into three groups: The sham operation group (SO; n=8); MI group (n=8); and the MI with recombinant human NRG (rhNRG)-1 administration group (NRG-1 group; 10 µg/kg; n=8). A rat MI model was established via ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. The rats in the NRG-1 group received a 10 µg/kg rhNRG-1 injection through the tail vein 30 min prior to ligation. Following 24 h of intervention, the field potential (FP) parameters, including the interspike interval (ISI), field potential duration (FPD), FPrise, FPmin, FPmax and conduction velocity (CV), were measured using microelectrode array technology. Subsequently, burst pacing was performed to assess ventricular arrhythmia (VA) susceptibility in the left ventricle. FP parameters in the MI group were significantly different when compared with those observed in the SO group. ISI, FPD, FPrise and FPmax in the infarct, peri-infarct and normal zones, as well as the CV of the infarct and peri-infarct zones, were all significantly decreased, and FPmin in the normal zone was increased (P<0.05). However, when compared with the MI group, NRG-1 prolonged the ISI and FPD in the 3 zones, and increased FPrise in the infarct zone, FPmax in the normal zone and CV in the peri-infarct zone; it also decreased FPmin in the normal zone (P<0.05). Furthermore, the incidence of VA was significantly reduced in the NRG-1 group when compared with the MI group (P<0.05). In conclusion, NRG-1 improved cardiac electrophysiological properties and reduced VA susceptibility in acute MI.