ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of total flaveos of Gymostemma pentaphyllum on the protein expression of apoptosis-associated Fas/FasL gene and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) concentration in cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes with hypoxia-reoxygenation (H/R).</p><p><b>METHOD</b>A cultured primary neonatal rat cardiomyocytes model with H/R was erected, experiments were divided into six groups, (1)control group, (2)H/R group, (3)15 mg x L(-1) TFG plus H/R group, (4)45 mg x L(-1) TFG plus H/R group, (5) 105 mg x L(-1) TFG plus H/R group, (6)105 mg x L(-1) TFG group. TNF-aconcentration in cultured cardiomyocytes with H/R, was determined by ELISA method, the protein expression of Fas/FasL genes were estimated by immunohisto-chemistry.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>After cardiomyocytes were made with H/R, Compared with control group, the positive expression index (PEI) of Fas/FasL proteins in cardiomyocytes increased significantly, Compared with H/R groups, the PEI of Fas/FasL proteins were lower significantly in groups with different dosages of TFG (P < 0.05). TFG inhibited the secretion of TNF-alpha from myocardial cells and increased the survival rate of myocardial cells.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The protein expression of apoptosis-associated Fas/FasL genes increased during H/R. The TFG can protect myocardium against H/R injury by decreasing the production of TNF-alpha, downregulating the protein expression of Fas/FasL genes, and then inhibiting myocyte apoptosis.</p>