[Effect of irbesartan on ACE2 expression in diabetic rat myocardium].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the effect of irbesartan on angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) mRNA expression in diabetic rat myocardium.


METHODS
Thirty 8-week-old male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group (n=7), diabetic model group (n=14) and irbesartan group (n=9). Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ (55 mg/kg), a blood glucose>16.7 mmol/L 72 h after the injection indicated successful establishment of diabetes. Four weeks after the modeling, the rats in irbesartan group were given 50 mg/kg irbesartan. ELISA was used to measure myocardial AngII content in the rats, and myocardial ACE2 mRNA expression was determined by real-time PCR.


RESULTS
Myocardial AngII level in the diabetic model group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.001). Irbesartan administration significantly lowered cardiac AngII levels in the diabetic rats (P<0.001). The rats in irbesartan group showed significantly increased myocardial ACE2 mRNA expression compared with those in the control and diabetic rat groups (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Irbesartan can increase ACE2 mRNA expression in the myocardium, which might be one of the mechanisms underlying its effect in improving the cardiac function in diabetic rats.
Hu
Yuan-yuan
YY
Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. huyuanyuan0@163.com
Shen
Jie
J
Zhu
Yan
Y
Tang
Jie-long
JL
Liu
Shuai
S
D000085962:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2; D000818:Animals; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000201:enzymology*; D000077405:Irbesartan; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000201:enzymology*; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013777:Tetrazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*
D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013777:Tetrazoles; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A; C000705329:Ace2 protein, rat; D000085962:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2; D000077405:Irbesartan