The Expression Of NF-κB And MCP-1 And Their Significance In Experimental Murine Viral Myocarditis

Objective To study the expression of Nuclear factor kappaB(NF- κ B) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and their significance in murine viral myocarditis. The relation between serum levels of MCP-1 and the clinical course of myocarditis.Methods Forty male Balb/c mice were randomly divided into two groups: the coxsackievirus B₃(CVB₃ ) infected group and control group. Animals were killed at 7, 14 and 21 d . The immunohistochemical studies and medical imagine analysis system were performed to evaluate the activation of NF- κ B and the expression of MCP-1 in myocardial tissue. Serum MCP-1 concentrations were assayed by ELISA.Results 1 The significant up-regulation of NF-κB activation and MCP-1 expression were observed in myocardial tissue of infeted mice compared with control group (P<0.01), and peaked at day 14,on which the positive signal index were (38.28±8.25) and (28.47±4.36) respectively.Furthermore, MCP-1 expression correlated positively with myocardial tissue injury(r=0. 883, P<0. 01). 2 The up-regulation of MCP-1 expression were positively correlated with NF- κ B activation in infected group(r=0.685,P<0.05).3 Serum MCP-1 concentrations of infeted mice were significantly increased compared to control group (P <0.001), and peaked at day 14(20.464±3.347 pg/ml) . Furthermore , the elevation of MCP-1 levels was correlated with MCP-1 expression in the myocardium of each mouse and was significantly correlated with the severity of myocardial tissue injury(r=0. 837, P< 0. 01).Conclusions The significant up-regulation of NF-κB activation and MCP-1 expression were observed in myocardial tissue of infeted mice ,serum MCP-1 concentrations of infeted mice were significantly increased, which suggest MCP-1 may play an important pathogenic role in myocarditis, and NF- κ B activation was partly necessary for MCP-1 expression.Serum levels of MCP-1 may be used to reflect the severity of myocarditis.