Besides its antiarrhythmic effect on atrial fibrillation, bepridil protects tissue, yet its effect on apoptosis has never been fully tested. We examine the effect of bepridil on apoptosis of HL-1 cells expressing E334K myosin-binding protein C (MyBPC), a model cell of apoptosis. Bepridil was compared with amiodarone, and its effects on the expression of pro- and anti-apoptotic protein and apoptosis of HL-1 cells expressing mutant E334K MyBPC-green fluorescent protein (GFP) was analyzed using Western blot and a flow cytometer. Bepridil decreased the protein levels of both Bax and cytochrome c of cells expressing E334K MyBPC-GFP with no changes in p53 and Bcl-2, while amiodarone decreased cytochrome c but did not influence Bax except in its highest concentration. It also decreased the number of Annexin-V positive cells of HL-1 cells expressing E334K MyBPC-GFP, and decreased apoptosis of HL-1 cells expressing E334K MyBPC-GFP.
Keywords: HL-1 cell; amiodarone; apoptosis; bepridil.