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Horm Metab Res 2007; 39(1): 3-8
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-956517
Original Basic

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Adrenomedullin Gene Expression and Peptide Levels in the Heart and Blood Vessels of Streptozotocin-diabetic Rats

F. Tang 1 , I. S. S. Hwang 1 , M. P. F. Wong 1 , Y.-Y. Li 1
  • 1Department of Physiology and Centre of Heart, Brain, Hormones and Healthy Aging, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, 21 Sassoon Road, Hong Kong, China
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Publication History

Received 1. 3. 2006

Accepted 19. 10. 2006

Publication Date:
16 January 2007 (online)

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Abstract

The aim of the present study was to assess the changes in gene expression and peptide adrenomedullin (AM) levels in cardiovascular and other tissues in the streptozotocin-diabetic rats. For this purpose, diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 65 mg/Kg body weight). Half of the diabetic rats were subcutaneously injected with insulin in the afternoon (4 units/day) one week after STZ injection until the day before killing. Control rats received only saline injection. AM mRNA was determined in cardiovascular and other tissues of streptozotocin-diabetic rats using solution-hybridization-RNase protection assay. Circulating AM and peptide AM in cardiovascular and other tissues were estimated using a specific radioimmunoassay. There were increases in preproAM mRNA levels in the left and right ventricles and in the thoracic aorta in both the 2-week and 4-week diabetic rats, but not in the two atria, the mesenteric artery and the lung. In the 2-week diabetic rats, there were decreases in AM contents in the two atria and the lung but an increase in the thoracic aorta. In the 4-week diabetic rats, there were bigger decreases in the atria and also a decrease in the left ventricle. The plasma AM levels were not changed but there was an increase in the excretion of AM in the urine. Our results suggest a possible increase in AM release in the heart and the thoracic aorta in the 2-week and 4-week diabetic rats.

Key words

cardiovascular - adrenomedullin - diabetes - heart - blood vessels

References

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1 Part of the data was presented at the 4th Symposium on Adrenomedullin and Proadrenomedullin N-20 Peptide held in Zurich in 2004.

Correspondence

F. Tang

Department of Physiology

Faculty of Medicine

The University of Hong Kong

Hong Kong

China

Phone: +852/281 992 69

Fax: +852/285 597 30

Email: ftang@hkucc.hku.hk