Carbon monoxide-releasing molecule-3 ameliorates traumatic brain injury-induced cardiac dysfunctions via inhibition of pyroptosis and apoptosis

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) frequently results in cardiac dysfunction and impacts the quality of survivors’ life. It has been reported that carbon monoxide-releasing molecule-3 (CORM-3) administration immediately after hemorrhagic shock and resuscitation (HSR) ameliorated the HSR‑induced cardiac dysfunctions. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the application of CORM-3 on TBI exerted therapeutic effects against TBI-induced cardiac dysfunctions. Rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 12) including Sham, TBI, TBI/CORM-3 and TBI/inactive CORM-3 (iCORM-3) groups. TBI was established by a weight-drop model. The rats in the TBI/CORM-3 group and TBI/iCORM-3 group were intravenously injected with CORM-3 and iCORM-3 (4 mg/kg) following TBI, respectively. The time of death in the rats that did not survive within 24 h was recorded. 24 h post-trauma, the cardiac function, pathological change, serum troponin T and creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) levels, pyroptosis, apoptosis and expressions of TUNEL staining, Gasdermin D (GSDMD), IL-1β, IL-18, ratio Bax/Bcl-2 were assessed by echocardiography, hematoxylin–eosin staining, chemiluminescence, immunofluorescence, and western blot assays, respectively. TBI-treated rats exhibited dramatically decreased ejection fraction and aggravated myocardial injury, increased mortality rate, elevated levels of serum troponin T and CK-MB, promoted cardiac pyroptosis and apoptosis, and upregulated expressions of cleaved caspase-3, GSDMD N-terminal fragments, IL-1β, IL-18, and ratio of Bax/Bcl-2, whereas CORM-3 partially reversed these changes. CORM-3 ameliorated TBI-induced cardiac injury and dysfunction. This mechanism may be responsible for the inhibition of pyroptosis and apoptosis in cardiomyocyte.