Expression imbalance of transcription factors GATA-3 and T-bet in post-resuscitation myocardial immune dysfunction in a porcine model of cardiac arrest

BackgroundThis study investigated whether an imbalance in Th1/Th2 cells is involved in the post-resuscitation myocardial immune dysfunction.Methods26 Wuzhishan miniature pigs were randomly divided into return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) group (n = 20) and sham-operated group (n = 6), 20 pigs were subjected to 8 min of electrically induced cardiac arrest, After successful ROSC, the 16 surviving pigs were randomly assigned to be sacrificed (n = 8 per group) at 12 and 24 h after ROSC, respectively. CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocyte subsets were determined by flow cytometry, interleukin (IL)-4 and interferon (IFN)-γ in the myocardium were measured by ELISA, and protein and mRNA levels of GATA-3 and T-bet were detected in the myocardium by Western blotting and quantitative real-time PCR in the post-ROSC group (n = 8 per group) at 12 and 24 h after ROSC and sham-operated group (n = 6) at 24 h after ROSC, respectively.ResultsCD4+ lymphocyte subsets were significantly lower in the post-ROSC group compared with the sham-operated group (P < 0.05) at 12 and 24 h after ROSC. The levels of myocardium IFN-γ were markedly increased, while IL-4 was significantly decreased in the post-ROSC group compared with the sham-operated group (P < 0.05) at 12 and 24 h after ROSC. Protein expression and mRNA levels of T-bet were markedly increased in the myocardium of pigs in the post-ROSC group compared with the sham-operated group (P < 0.05) at 12 and 24 h after ROSC, while GATA-3 was significantly reduced (P < 0.05).ConclusionThe myocardial immune dysfunction induced by the change in expression levels of the transcription factors GATA-3 and T-bet may be involved in the process of post-resuscitation myocardial injury in a porcine model of cardiac arrest.