Melatonin enhances captopril mediated cardioprotective effects and improves mitochondrial dynamics in male Wistar rats with chronic heart failure

Abstract Mitochondrial dysfunction is a recent emerging research scope that proved to be involved in many cardiovascular diseases culminating in chronic heart failure (CHF), which remains one of the primary causes of morbidity and mortality. This study investigated the added cardio-protective effects of exogenous melatonin administration to conventional captopril therapy in isoproterenol (ISO) exposed rats with CHF. Five groups of Wistar rats were recruited; (I): Control group, (II): (ISO group), (III): (ISO + captopril group), (IV): (ISO + melatonin group) and (V): (ISO + melatonin/captopril group). Cardiac function parameters and some oxidant, inflammatory and fibrotic markers were investigated. Moreover; mRNA expression of mitochondrial mitophagy [parkin & PTEN induced kinase 1 (PINK1)], biogenesis [Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC-1α)], fusion [mitofusin 2 (Mfn2)] and fission [dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP-1)] parameters in rat’s myocardium were evaluated. Rats’ myocardium was histo-pathologically and immunohistochemically evaluated for Beclin1 and Sirt3 expression. The present study revealed that captopril and melatonin ameliorated cardiac injury, oxidative stress biomarkers, and pro-inflammatory cytokines in ISO-exposed rats. These protective effects could be attributed to mitochondrial dynamic proteins control (i.e. enhanced the mRNA expression of parkin, PINK1, PGC-1α and Mfn2, while reduced DRP-1 mRNA expression). Also, Beclin1 and Sirt3 cardiac immunoreactivity were improved. Combined captopril and melatonin therapy showed a better response than either agent alone. Melatonin enhanced myocardial mitochondrial dynamics and Sirt3 expression in CHF rats and may represent a promising upcoming therapy added to conventional heart failure treatment.