Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0004135 (ATM)
 13,001 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

ACE inhibition protects the heart against ischemic injury by reducing angiotensin II and promoting bradykinin (BK) accumulation. Since neutral endopeptidase (NEP) metabolizes BK, we determined its activity after induction of myocardial infarction (MI) and examined whether it is influenced by treatment with an ACE inhibitor or AT1 receptor blocker. Rats were studied 6 days and 3 wk after coronary occlusion. Starting 48 h after MI induction, additional animals were treated with the ACE inhibitor quinapril (2 mg x kg(-1) x day-1) or the AT1 blocker irbesartan (50 mg x kg(-1) x day-1). Animals were hemodynamically characterized. Finally, NEP-specific activity and BK concentrations were detected in homogenates of heart compartments. Quinapril and irbesartan treatment improved left ventricular function 6 days and 3 wk after MI induction, and NEP activity was elevated only in the infarcted area of untreated compared with sham-operated rats. After 6 days, irbesartan reversed this increase by 80% and quinapril by 35%. Quinapril had no effect after 3 wk, whereas irbesartan almost completely blocked the increased NEP activity in the infarcted area and concomitantly induced a further rise in the BK concentrations. These results indicate mechanisms of NEP regulation influenced by the AT1 receptor. Our data suggest that NEP is more decisive than ACE in mediating BK degradation and may indicate BK involvement in the cardioprotective effects of AT1 antagonists.
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PMID:AT1 receptor blockade increases cardiac bradykinin via neutral endopeptidase after induction of myocardial infarction in rats. 1215 91

The aim of this study was designed to investigate the possible beneficial effects of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, Quinapril (Q) and, the angiotensin (ang) II T(1) (AT1) receptor blocker, irbesartan (Irb), in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes in rats. The rats were randomly allotted into one of five experimental groups: A (control), B (diabetic untreated), C (diabetic treated with Q), D (diabetic treated with Irb), and E (diabetic treated with Q&Irb), each group containing 10 animals. Groups B-E received STZ. Diabetes was induced in four groups by a single intraperitoneal (i.p) injection of STZ (50 mg/kg, freshly dissolved in 5 mmol/L citrate buffer, pH 4.5). Two days after STZ treatment, development of diabetes in four experimental groups was confirmed by measuring blood glucose levels in a tail vein blood samples. Rats with blood glucose levels of 250 mg/dL or higher were considered to be diabetic. The rats in Q-, Irb-, and Q&Irb-treated groups were given Q (in a dose of 3 mg/kg body weight), Irb (5 mg/kg body weight), and Q&Irb (in a dose of 1.5 mg/kg + 2.5 mg/kg body weight) once a day orally by using intra-gastric intubation for 12 weeks starting two days after STZ injection. Treatment of Q and especially Irb reduced the glomerular size and thickening of capsular, glomerular, and tubular basement membranes; and increased amounts of mesangial matrix and tubular dilatation and renal function as compared with diabetics untreated. Notably, the better effects were obtained when Q and Irb given together. We conclude that Q, Irb, and especially Q+Irb therapy causes renal morphologic and functional improvement after STZ-induced diabetes in rats. We believe that further preclinical research into the utility of Q and Irb treatment, alone or its combination, may indicate its usefulness as a potential treatment in diabetic nephropathy (DNp).
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PMID:Effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition and angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockade on streptozotocin-induced diabetic nephropathy. 1901 56