title: Reduced pulmonary endothelium-bound angiotensin converting enzyme activity in diabetic rabbits.
abstract: We examined the effects of diabetes on pulmonary capillary endothelial cell (EC) function in diabetic rabbits. One, three and six weeks after alloxan treatment, rabbits were anesthetized and pulmonary endothelium-bound angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) activity was estimated from the single-pass transpulmonary hydrolysis of benzoyl-Phe-Ala-Pro (BPAP), an ACE specific substrate. ACE activity significantly decreased in 1- and 3-week diabetic rabbits and returned to control levels at 6 weeks. Capillary dilation, parenchymal hemorrhage and erythrocyte clumping were maximal in 3-week diabetic rabbits. We conclude that in the alloxan-diabetic rabbit, there are transient functional and more persistent morphological alterations.
authors.affiliation: Vascular Biology Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA 30912-2500, USA. lmccloud@mail.mcg.edu
authors.forename: Laryssa L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: McCloud
authors.forename: James B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Parkerson
authors.forename: Lihua
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: R N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Catravas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000201:enzymology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000201:enzymology*; D008168:Lung / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000378:metabolism*; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A