Effects of crocetin on the matrix metalloproteinases in cardiac hypertrophy induced by norepinephrine in rats.

The effects of crocetin on the cardiac hypertrophy induced by long-term treatment with norepinephrine (NE) in rats have been investigated. The activities of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) have been assayed by gelatin SDS-PAGE zymography. The expressions of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were detected by RT-PCR. ATPase activity and hydroxyproline contents were measured with a commercial kit. The results show that crocetin blocked the development of left ventricular hypertrophy induced by NE, decreased the level of collagen in myocardium, enhanced both the Na+-K+ ATPase activity in cardiac tissue and the Ca2+-Mg2+ ATPase activity in mitochondria and inhibited significantly the activity of MMP-2 and the expressions of MMP-2 and MMP-9. These results suggest that crocetin may prevent cardiac hypertrophy induced by NE in rats.