Atropine-induced heart damage is associated with changes in the expression of various enzymes and proteins. The purpose of this study was to investigate atropine-induced alterations in cardiac E-cadherin and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) after atropine administration. Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups: a control group and an atropine group. The atropine group intraperitoneally received atropine at a single dose of 15 mg/kg for 7 days; the controls received the same amount of saline via the same route. On Day 8, the rats were anesthetized, and a thoracotomy was performed in all animals. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed to evaluate protein expression of E-cadherin and 5-HT. Sections were analyzed by digital image analysis. Cardiac protein expression of E-cadherin and 5-HT was altered after atropine‑induced toxicity in the rat. The expression levels of E-cadherin and 5-HT were significantly decreased after atropine treatment, supported by IOD analysis, when compared with the control (P<0.05). The current findings indicate that such changes would be reflected in abnormal cardiac function, and these proteins may be useful for revealing the mechanisms underlying atropine-induced toxicity and may also provide various clues for further research.

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