[Effect of irbesartan on ACE2 expression in diabetic rat myocardium]

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

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.

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).

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.