Rosiglitazone alleviates myocardial apoptosis in rats with acute myocardial infarction via inhibiting TLR4/NF‑κB signaling pathway
Authors: Aijie Huang
Hongzhong Ma
Suchun Ding
Yingjun Zhang
Xiaoli Feng
Haihuan Wang
Juan Du
Jiahai Ma
Journal: Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine (2020)
Discipline: CLINICAL MEDICINE
Keywords: TLR4/NF-κB; acute myocardial infarction; rosiglitazone.
Affiliations: Department of Anesthesiology, The Affiliated Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital of Qingdao University, Yantai, Shandong 264000, P.R. China, Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital of Qingdao University, Yantai, Shandong 264000, P.R. China, Department of Anesthesiology, Xi'an Beihuan Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, P.R. China

Abstract:  Influence of rosiglitazone on the myocardial apoptosis in rats with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) via the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway was explored. A total of 30 healthy male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into group A (Sham group, n=10), group B (AMI model group, n=10) and group C (AMI model + rosiglitazone group, n=10) using a random number table. It was observed through H&amp;E staining that group A had myocardial cells with normal morphology and infiltration of few inflammatory factors, while group B had swollen myocardial cells with disorderly and irregular morphology, large and dark-colored nuclei, infiltration of massive inflammatory factors, large amounts of fibrous tissue hyperplasia in the intercellular space, disorderly arranged, thickened and lengthened myocardial fibers with widened gaps. Moreover, group C exhibited infiltration of fewer inflammatory factors and more normal myocardial tissue structure compared with group B. According to the sirius-red staining results, group A had normally arranged myocardial cells with a small amount of collagen hyperplasia, while group B had collagen interstitial hyperplasia and higher content of myocardial collagen than group A. Compared with that in group B, the myocardial collagen deposit was substantially reduced in group C. TUNEL staining results showed that the apoptosis rate of rat myocardial cells in group B was obviously higher than that in group A (40.37 vs. 5.23%), and it was notably lower in group C than that in group B (24.82 vs. 40.37%). According to the western blot results, the protein expression levels of the inflammatory factors TLR-4 and NF-κB in rat myocardial tissues were notably raised in group B compared with those in group A, and they were evidently lower in group C than those in group B. Rosiglitazone inhibits the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway to produce a myocardioprotective effect. 

Retracted: Yes

PubPeer comments:
 Figure 3A appears to be an amalgamation of features superimposed in different ways. Some of the seemingly repetitive features are annotated. *** ![file] , 
 Retracted [29 June 2021] . --------------------------------------- Following the publication of this paper, it was drawn to the Editors attention by a concerned reader that a comparison among the three separate panels in Fig. 3A showing apoptotic data revealed striking similarities in terms of the presentation of groupings of cells within the panels, such that it would be difficult to rationalize how the three sets of data could have been generated from discretely performed experiments. After having investigated the matter internally, the Editor of *Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine* has decided that this paper should be retracted from the Journal on account of a lack of confidence in these presented data. The authors proved not to be contactable to comment on these issues. The Editor apologizes to the readership for any inconvenience caused ,