Effect of Thymol on the Level of Bcl-۲ Family Transcript in the Hypertrophied Heart of Rats

Background and Aims: Long-term surge of heart loads causes cell hypertrophy. Left ventricular hypertrophy is an adaptive response of the heart to pathological stimuli such as hypertension. B-cell lymphoma ۲ (Bcl-۲) family members play an essential role in this process regulation. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of thymol on the transcription level of Bcl-۲ family factors in the rat model of left ventricular hypertrophy. Materials and Methods: Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: ۱- Control ۲-Untreated hypertrophy (H), ۳ and ۴ groups which received ۲۵ and ۵۰ mg/kg/day of thymol (H + Tym۲۵ and H + Tym۵۰ groups, respectively). Hypertrophy was induced by abdominal aortic banding, and the real time polymerase chain reaction technique was used for gene expression. Results: Data showed that in the H group, the mRNA level of the BAD was increased significantly (p ˂ ۰.۰۰۱). However, the transcription level of BAX was increased in the H and H+Tym۲۵ compared with the control group. In the H + Tym۵۰ group, BAX mRNA level decreased significantly compared to the H group (p ˂ ۰.۰۵). Conclusions: Our findings demonstrated that the expression rates of the antiapoptotic factor, Bcl-۲, was significantly increased in the H group (p < ۰.۰۱) and thymol-treated hypertrophy groups (p < ۰.۰۰۱). Interestingly, the upregulation of Bcl-۲ mRNA was statistically significant in the H+Tym۵۰ group compared with H and H + Tym۲۵ groups (p < ۰.۰۱). The results showed that thymol could protect heart hypertrophied by increasing the expression of anti-apoptotic factors.

Keywords:

BAX , Bcl-۲ , Bcl-xl , Hypertrophy , Thymol