Diabetic cardiomyopathy is common complications of diabetes mellietus. There are many
pathophysiological mechanisms of diabetic cardiomyopathy, such as apoptosis and oxidative
stress.
AIM: This study was designed to assess the issue of cardiomyocyte apoptosis as a possible
cause of diabetic cardiomyopathy and whether it would be possible to suppress this
apoptosis by the use of vitamin E as an antioxidant and Losartan as an Angiotensin II
receptor blocker.
METHODS: Rats were randomly divided into five groups 10 animals each: Group 1, healthy
control rats; Group 2, diabetic group that were made diabeitic with a single injection of
streptozotocin (Sl); Group 3, diabetic rats treated with losartan ; Group 4, diabetic rats
treated with vitamin E Group 5, diabetic rats treated with losartan and vitamin E At the end of
the experimental period, plasma glucose, serum lipid profile was measured. The heart rate and mean
systemic arterial blood pressure (MSBP) were mea sured in all groups. Oxidative stress as
assessed by malonaldialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH-PX) concentrations
as well as caspase-3 activity as an index of apoptosis were determined in cardiac tissue. In
addition Cardiac apoptosis was measured by BCL-x immunohistochemisny technique. |
