The present study was designed to examine the effect of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) induction by cobalt protoporphyrin (CoPP) on the cardiac functions and morphology, electrocardiogram (ECG) changes, myocardial antioxidants (superoxide dismutase [SOD] and glutathione [GSH]), and expression of heat shock protein (Hsp) 70 and connexin 43 (Cx-43) in myocardial muscles in isoproterenol (ISO) induced myocardial infarction (MI).
The MI group produced a significant increase in myocardial infarct size, serum cardiac biomarkers (LDH and CK-MB), proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6), and MDA levels, and a significant decrease in SOD level compared with the sham group.