Effects of ramipril on cardiac gene transcription levels of angiotensin II receptors after myocardial infarction.
OBJECTIVE
To study the early changes of cardiac angiotensin (Ang) II receptor gene transcription after myocardial infarction (MI) in rats chronically treated with the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor ramipril.


METHODS
MI was induced by left anterior descending coronary artery ligation in rats and sham-operated rats were used as control. Rats were treated daily with ramipril (1 mg.kg-1) or water, initiated 1 wk before surgery. Quantitative RT-PCR was applied to determine the Ang II receptors AT1, AT2 receptor gene mRNA levels in the non-infarcted myocardium.


RESULTS
AT1 and AT2 mRNA levels increased time point-dependently in the cardiac septum after MI reaching a peak on d 1. There was no significant difference of the myocardial AT1 and AT2 receptor mRNA levels between the ramipril-treated and water-treated rats after MI.


CONCLUSIONS
The AT1 and AT2 receptor gene transcription in the non-infarcted myocardium was associated with the process of cardiac remodeling after MI but not affected by ACE inhibition.
Zhu
Y C
YC
Department of Physiology, Shanghai Medical University, China. yczhu@shmu.edu.cn
Zhu
Y Z
YZ
Li
J
J
Schäfer
H
H
Schmidt
W E
WE
Unger
T
T
Yao
T
T
D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D006346:Heart Septum / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D017257:Ramipril / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D044140:Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1; D044139:Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 2; D011945:Receptors, Angiotensin / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects*; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling
D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D044140:Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1; D044139:Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 2; D011945:Receptors, Angiotensin; D017257:Ramipril