title: Effect of Angiotensin II Type 1 receptor blocker on cardiac angiotensin-converting enzyme and chymase-like activities, and cardiac fibrosis in cardiomyopathic hamsters.
abstract: It has been reported that cardiac chymase has an effect on cardiac fibrosis through the Angiotensin (Ang) II formation and an Ang II-independent mechanism. In the present study, Ang II type 1 (AT1) receptor blocker (candesartan cilexetil) was administered to dilated cardiomyopathic (DCM; Bio TO2) hamsters for 4 weeks to study the effect of AT1 receptor blocker on cardiac chymase-like activity and cardiac fibrosis. Echocardiography, histological examination, and assessment of cardiac angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)/chymase-like activities were conducted. Hamsters showed cardiac dysfunction due to increased left ventricular dimensions and decreased ventricular wall thickness, significant increase in cardiac chymase-like activity, and fibrosis. This result indicates that the cardiac chymase-like activity is responsible for cardiac fibrosis. When candesartan cilexetil was administered to Bio TO2 hamsters, cardiac chymase-like activity increased significantly, whereas cardiac fibrosis decreased significantly. Cardiac ACE and chymase-like activities were unchanged in non-DCM hamsters with candesartan cilexetil. This suggests that the cardiac Ang II formation mechanism was stimulated by suppressing the effect of cardiac Ang II, and cardiac chymase-like activity could be increased. Moreover, this mechanism may be more highly activated if cardiac Ang II is activated in the heart. In conclusion, we demonstrated that AT1 receptor blocker reduced cardiac fibrosis, although cardiac chymase-like activity increased. Because the Ang II-forming pathway and the effect of chymase in hamsters is similar to that in dogs, the results of the present study may supplement the available information for dogs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Surgery, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchushi, Tokyo 183-0054, Japan.
authors.forename: Miki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Ryou
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Mizuho
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uchida
authors.forename: Kensuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Orito
authors.forename: Shunsuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shimamura
authors.forename: Yoshihisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamane
mesh_terms: D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D053818:Chymases; D006224:Cricetinae; D004452:Echocardiography; D004719:Endomyocardial Fibrosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000473:pathology; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000201:enzymology; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000378:metabolism*; D011897:Random Allocation; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism*; D013777:Tetrazoles / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D013777:Tetrazoles; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D053818:Chymases; C077793:candesartan cilexetil