NDRG2 expression of rat heart in ischemia/reperfusion injury

AIM: To investigate alterations caused by ischemia alone or ischemia/reperfusion in cardiac gene expression of NDRG2. METHODS: Expressions of NDRG2 in rat hearts exposed to ischemia stress alone or to ischemia/reperfusion were observed at 3, 6, 12 and 24 h of ischemia and at 6, 12, 24 and 48 h of reperfusion preceded by 30 min of ischemia induced by coronary artery ligation. RESULTS: Results demonstrated that the NDRG2 mRNA expression in cardiac tissue significantly decreased after 12 h of reperfusion and NDRG2 protein expression significantly decreased after 24 h of reperfusion. However, ischemia alone exerted little influence on NDRG2 expression. CONCLUSION: Ischemia alone cannot cause alterations in NDRG2 gene expression but ischemia/reperfusion injury can downregulate NDRG2 gene expressions in myocardium.