title: Losartan reduces myocardial interstitial fibrosis in diabetic cardiomyopathy rats by inhibiting JAK/STAT signaling pathway.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was designed to investigate the effect of losartan on the myocardial interstitial fibrosis in diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, a total of 48 male Wister rats (3 groups of 16 animals each) were examined, including the control group, DCM group and losartan-treated (DCM + L) group. Control group was fed with standard diet (14 KJ/g); DCM group and losartan-treated (DCM + L) group were both fed with high glucose and fat diet (20 KJ/g). Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin (STZ) intraperitoneal injuction (IP, 30 mg/kg body weight). Rats of DCM + L group were treated with losartan (30 mg/kg body weight) daily by oral gavage for 16 weeks. Biochemical, hemodynamic, histological and western blotting analyses were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with DCM rats, the quantity of p-JAK2 and p-STAT3 in myocardium of rats treated with losartan was lower, the expression of TGF-β1 was down-regulate, the content of collagen in myocardium decreased, LVSP and ± dp/dt increased, LVEDP decreased, the level of myocardial fibrosis reduced, and heart function improved evidently.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Losartan has a protective effect on heart function against myocardial interstitial fibrosis of DCM by inhibiting JAK/STAT signaling pathway and lowering the expression of TGF-β1.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Hospital China.
authors.forename: Lijun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Tianjin Medical Examination Service, Tianjin Health Human Resources Service China.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine China.
authors.forename: Dajun
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D058065:Diabetic Cardiomyopathies / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004719:Endomyocardial Fibrosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D053612:Janus Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D019808:Losartan / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D050791:STAT Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers; D050791:STAT Transcription Factors; D053612:Janus Kinases; D019808:Losartan
keywords: Diabetes mellitus; JAK; STAT; diabetic cardiomyopathy; losartan; myocardial interstitial fibrosis