Anti-apoptotic and pro-survival effect of protocatechuic acid on hypertensive hearts

•SHR-PCA group showed better myocardial architecture than SHR group.•IGF-1, p-PI3K, p-Akt were decreased in PCA treated hypertensive group.•PCA treatment decreased caspases-3, -8, and -9 protein levels.•PCA treatment increased Bcl2, Bcl- XL levels.•PCA treatment decreased Bax, t-Bid and Cyto-C levels.

Cardiac apoptosis was found in hearts from hypertensive animals, therefore in this study we aimed to evaluate the anti-apoptotic and pro-survival effects of protocatechuic acid (PCA) on hypertensive hearts. At first we found that, sedentary group (SHR)-PCA group's decreased TUNEL-positive apoptotic cells than SHR group alone. Protein levels of Fas ligand, Fas death receptor, Fas-associated death domain (FADD), Bid, t-Bid, Bax, cytochrome c, activated caspase-8, activated caspase 9 and activated caspase-3 were decreased in SHR-PCA group compared with SHR group. Moreover, SHR-PCA groups increased pro-survival pathway proteins like IGF1, pIGF1R, pPI3K, p-Akt, Bcl-xL, and Bcl-2 than SHR and sedentary normotensive group (WKY). All these finding suggest us that, Protocatechuic acid prevented hypertension-enhanced cardiac Fas-dependent and mitochondria-dependent apoptotic pathways and enhanced cardiac pro-survival pathway in rat models.