Downregulation of L-type calcium channel α1c subunit in myocardium with chronic multi-stress rats

Objective To study the downregulation of L-type calcium channel α1c in atrial myocardium with chronic multi-stress rats and the antagonism effect of verapamil.Methods In this study,a chronic multi-stress animal model was established in rats.The animals were subjected to 4 weeks of chronic multi-stress.Verapamil was used to block L-type calcium channel.After 4 weeks,atrium tissue was harvested,the expression of L-type calcium channel α1c was detected with RT-PCR and western blot.Results Expression of α1c mRNA decreased in stress group compared with control group(P0.01).The same result was found in verapamil group compared with control group(P0.01).There was no significant difference between stress group and verapamil group(P0.05).α1c protein expression was significantly reduced in stess group compared with control group(P0.01).There was a higher protein expression level in verapamil group than that in stress group(P0.01),which was lower than that in control group(P0.01).Conclusion Chronic multi-stress induced a significantly decrease the expression level of L-type calcium channel α1c.Verapamil can attenuate L-type calcium channel α1c downregulation in chronic multi-stress model in rats.