Non-excitatory electrical stimulation attenuates myocardial infarction via homeostasis of calcitonin gene-related peptide in myocardium

Electrical stimulation has been shown protection of brain, retina, optic nerves and pancreatic β-cells but the effect on cardio-protection is still unknown. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) participates in the pathology of injury and protection of myocardium but whether or not electrical stimulation modulates endogenous CGRP is not clear. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups: (1) control group, without any treatment. (2) I/R group, animals were subjected to 30 min of myocardial ischemia followed by 60 min reperfusion. (3) NES + I/R group, non-excitatory electrical stimulation (NES) was commenced from 15 min before coronary artery occlusion till the end of reperfusion. (4) I/R + CGRP8-37 group, animals were given with CGRP8-37 (an antagonist of CGRP receptor, 10−7 mol/L, 0.3 ml, i.v.) at 5 min before reperfusion without any electrical stimulation. The hemodynamics and electrocardiogram were monitored and recorded. Infarct size and troponin I were examined and CGRP expression in the myocardium and serum was analyzed. It was found that the infarct size and TnI were significantly reduced in NES + I/R group, by 45% and 58% respectively, accompanied by an obvious fall back of CGRP in myocardium, compared to I/R group (all p < 0.05). Treatment with CGRP8-37 resulted in the same protection on myocardium as NES did. No significant difference in hemodynamics or ventricular tachycardia was detected among the groups (all p > 0.05). It can be concluded that NES reduced the infarction size after acute myocardial ischemia and reperfusion, for which the underlying mechanism may be associated with modulation of endogenous CGRP in myocardium.