title: Angiotensin II receptor blocker telmisartan attenuates aortic stiffening and remodelling in STZ-diabetic rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prevention or attenuation of diabetic vascular complications includes anti-hypertensive treatment with renin-angiotensin system inhibitors on account of their protective effects beyond blood pressure reduction. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of telmisartan, an angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker (ARB), on blood pressure, aortic stiffening, and aortic remodelling in experimental type 1 diabetes in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin (STZ) (65 mg/kg) in male Wistar rats. One diabetic group was treated for 10 weeks with telmisartan (10 mg/kg/day p/o). Pressure-independent aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) was measured under anaesthesia after intravenous infusion of phenylephrine and nitroglycerine. Aortic wall samples were collected for histomorphometrical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Untreated diabetes imposed differential effects on aortic stiffening, as demonstrated by increased isobaric PWV over a range of high blood pressures, but not at lower blood pressures. This was associated with loss and disruption of elastin fibres and an increase in collagen fibres in the aortic media. Treatment with telmisartan decreased resting blood pressure, reduced aortic stiffness, and partially prevented the degradation of elastin network within the aortic wall.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Telmisartan improved the structural and functional indices of aortic stiffening induced by untreated STZ-diabetes, demonstrating the importance of ARBs in the therapeutic approach to diabetic vascular complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, University of Tartu, 8 Puusepa Street, Tartu 51014, Estonia ; Endothelial Centre, University of Tartu, 8 Puusepa Street, Tartu 51014, Estonia ; Department of Biochemistry, Centre of Excellence for Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, 19 Ravila Street, Tartu 50411, Estonia.
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Salum
authors.affiliation: The Australian School of Advanced Medicine, 2 Technology Place, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Butlin
authors.affiliation: Endothelial Centre, University of Tartu, 8 Puusepa Street, Tartu 51014, Estonia ; Department of Biochemistry, Centre of Excellence for Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, 19 Ravila Street, Tartu 50411, Estonia ; Department of Vascular Surgery, Tartu University Hospital, 8 Puusepa Street, Tartu 51014, Estonia.
authors.forename: Jaak
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kals
authors.affiliation: Endothelial Centre, University of Tartu, 8 Puusepa Street, Tartu 51014, Estonia ; Department of Biochemistry, Centre of Excellence for Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, 19 Ravila Street, Tartu 50411, Estonia.
authors.forename: Mihkel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zilmer
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, University of Tartu, 8 Puusepa Street, Tartu 51014, Estonia ; Endothelial Centre, University of Tartu, 8 Puusepa Street, Tartu 51014, Estonia.
authors.forename: Jaan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Eha
authors.affiliation: The Australian School of Advanced Medicine, 2 Technology Place, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia.
authors.forename: Alberto P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Avolio
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, University of Tartu, 19 Ravila Street, Tartu 50411, Estonia.
authors.forename: Andres
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arend
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, University of Tartu, 19 Ravila Street, Tartu 50411, Estonia ; Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 62 Fr. Kreutzwaldi Street, Tartu 51014, Estonia.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aunapuu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, University of Tartu, 8 Puusepa Street, Tartu 51014, Estonia ; Endothelial Centre, University of Tartu, 8 Puusepa Street, Tartu 51014, Estonia ; Department of Biochemistry, Centre of Excellence for Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, 19 Ravila Street, Tartu 50411, Estonia.
authors.forename: Priit
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kampus
keywords: Arterial stiffness; Collagen; Diabetes; Elastin; Pulse wave velocity; Streptozotocin; Telmisartan