Department of Biochemistry, Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
The effects of a red wine extract supplement (Super S.O.D) on hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced apoptosis were examined in H9c2 cardiomyocytes. Super S.O.D pretreatment dose-dependently protected against hypoxia/ reoxygenation-induced apoptosis in H9c2 cardiomyocytes. The cytoprotection was associated with increases in cellular reduced glutathione level and mitochondrial membrane potential, as well as the decrease in the extent of Ca2+-induced mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) pore opening in both unchallenged and challenged cells, as compared with the unpretreated control. The results indicated that Super S.O.D pretreatment protected against hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced apoptosis in H9c2 cardiomyocytes, possibly mediated by the inhibition of MPT triggered by hypoxia/reoxygenation challenge.