title: Tanshinone II-A attenuates cardiac fibrosis and modulates collagen metabolism in rats with renovascular hypertension.
abstract: The adaptive changes that develop in the pressure-overloaded left ventricular myocardium include cardiac hypertrophy and interstitial fibrosis. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the effects of Tanshinone II-A, a bioactive diterpene quinone isolated from Danshen, on cardiac fibrosis and collagen metabolism in rats with renovascular hypertension. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to two-kidney two-clip (2K2C) or sham operation (sham) and treated with Valsartan (Val, 26.7 mg/kg/d), Tanshinone II-A (Tsn, 70, 35 mg/kg/d) or vehicle. Six weeks later, systolic blood pressure (BP), LV weight, collagen abundance, cardiac function parameters, hydroxyproline content and mRNA levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 and TIMP-2 were evaluated. Both high-dose (Tsn-H, 70 mg/kg/d) and low-dose (Tsn-L, 35 mg/kg/d) of Tsn failed to attenuate 2K2C-induced BP elevation but significantly attenuated the attendant interstitial fibrosis. Val suppressed elevations of BP and left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP) in 2K2C rats. Val and Tsn-H exerted comparable suppressive effects on the gene expression of MMP-9 and TIMP-1, while Val decreased the MMP-2 mRNA level without affecting the transcript levels of TIMP-2. Both Val and Tsn-H attenuated cardiac dysfunction, while Tsn-L showed slight improvement. These data demonstrate for the first time, that Tsn prevented cardiac fibrosis and improved cardiac function in a rat model of renovascular hypertensive independent of hypotensive effect. Tsn conferred its beneficial effects on the collagen metabolism probably through its regulation of transcript levels of the MMPs/TIMPs balance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Suo-Wen
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Fu-Tian
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Si-Gui
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Jian-Wen
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: He-Qing
authors.initials: HQ
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Pei-Qing
authors.initials: PQ
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D045784:Abietanes / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015870:Gene Expression; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects; D006978:Hypertension, Renovascular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D008517:Phytotherapy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D027561:Salvia miltiorrhiza / Q000737:chemistry*; D013777:Tetrazoles / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014633:Valine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068756:Valsartan
chemical_list: D045784:Abietanes; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013777:Tetrazoles; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1; C021751:tanshinone; D000068756:Valsartan; D003094:Collagen; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9; D014633:Valine