Endothelin-1 receptor subtypes expression and binding in a perfused rat model of myocardial infarction

Aliskiren, exendin-4, and insulin: their impact on endothelin receptor subtype(s) regulation/binding in type 1 diabetic rat hearts

This study focuses on the impact of aliskiren and (or) glucagon-like peptide-1 analogue on the binding affinity/regulation of endothelin-1 (ET-1) to its receptor subtypes A (ETAR) and B (ETBR) at the level of the coronary endothelium and the cardiomyocytes in a type-1 diabetic rat model. Seven groups were used: (i) normal rats, (ii) rats with induced diabetes, (iii) rats with induced diabetes that were treated with insulin, (iv) rats with induced diabetes that were treated with exendin-4, (v) rats with induced diabetes that were treated with aliskiren, (vi) rats with induced diabetes that were co-treated with insulin plus aliskiren, and (vii) rats with induced diabetes that were co-treated with exendin-4 plus aliskiren. Heart perfusion with [125I]-ET-1 was employed to estimate ET-1 binding affinity (τ = 1/K–n) to ETAR and ETBR at the level of the coronary endothelium and the cardiomyocytes. Plasma ET-1 levels were measured using enzyme immunoassay, whereas densities of ETAR and ETBR were detected using Western blot. No significance differences were detected in the τ of ETAR and ETBR between normal and diabetic in cardiomyocytes and the coronary endothelium. Exendin-4 normalized the τ value for ETAR and ETBR on coronary endothelium, while aliskiren normalized it on cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, ETAR and ETBR densities were normalized with monotreatments of aliskiren and exendin-4, compared with up-regulated ETAR and down-regulated ETBR band densities in the diabetic animals. Our data indicate that aliskiren alleviates diabetes-associated hypertrophy in type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Assessment of glucagon-like peptide-1 analogue and renin inhibitor on the binding and regulation of GLP-1 receptor in type 1 diabetic rat hearts

This study focuses on the effects of long-term renin-angiotensin system suppression and/or incretin mimetic therapies on the regulation and binding affinity of GLP-1 to its receptor in the coronary endothelium (CE) and cardiomyocytes (CMs) of type 1 diabetic male Sprague-Dawley rats. The groups assessed are normal (N), streptozotocin-induced diabetic (D), Insulin treated (DI), Exendin-4 treated (DE), Aliskiren treated (DA), cotreated with Insulin and Aliskiren (DIA) and cotreated with exendin-4 and Aliskiren (DEA). Heart perfusion with ¹²⁵I-GLP-1 was performed to estimate GLP-1 binding affinity (τ = 1/k-n) to its receptor in the heart. Western Blotting was assessed to determine the expression variation of GLP-1 receptor in the heart. Plasma GLP-1 levels were measured using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Diabetes decreased the τ value on CE and increased it on CMs compared to normal. The combination of Exendin-4 with Aliskiren showed a normalizing effect on the binding affinity of GLP-1 at the coronary endothelium, while at the cardiomyocyte level Exendin-4 treatment alone was the most effective.

Role of glucagon-like peptide-1 analogues on insulin receptor regulation in diabetic rat hearts

This study focused on the regulation and affinity modulation of the insulin receptor of coronary endothelium and cardiomyocytes in nondiabetic and STZ-induced type 1 diabetic rats. Male rats were divided into the following 9 groups: nondiabetic (N), nondiabetic treated with exendin-4 (NE), nondiabetic treated with dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) inhibitor (NDp), diabetic (D), diabetic treated with insulin (DI), diabetic treated with exendin-4 (DE), diabetic co-treated with insulin and exendin-4 (DIE), diabetic treated with DPP-IV inhibitor (DDp), and diabetic co-treated with insulin and DPP-IV inhibitor (DIDp). After the rats were treated for 1 month, a first-order Bessel function was employed to estimate the insulin binding affinity (with time constant tau = 1/k-n) to its receptors on the coronary endothelium and cardiomyocytes using CHAPS-untreated and CHAPS-treated heart perfusion, respectively. The results showed that diabetes (D) decreased the tau value on the coronary endothelium and increased it on cardiomyocytes compared with the nondiabetic group (N). Treatment with insulin and (or) exendin-4, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogue, increased tau on the coronary endothelium only. On the coronary endothelium, tau values of DI and DIDp were normalized. Western blots of the insulin receptor showed upregulation in D, downregulation in DI, and normalization in DE and DDp. Immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR findings indicated atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) in all diabetic ventricles, thus ascertaining hypertrophy. Therefore, negative myocardial effects related to the insulin receptor were diminished in diabetic rats treated with DPP-IV inhibitor and, more efficiently, by exendin-4.

Cross-talk related to insulin and angiotensin II binding on myocardial remodelling in diabetic rat hearts

This study focused on the regulation and affinity modulation of angiotensin II (Ang II) binding to its receptor subtypes (AT(1)- and AT(2)-receptor) in the coronary endothelium (CE) and cardiomyocytes (CM) of Sprague-Dawley male rats in normal (N), normal treated with losartan (NL), streptozotocin-induced diabetic (D), insulin-treated diabetic (DI), losartan-treated diabetic (DL), and diabetic co-treated with insulin and losartan (DIL). Heart perfusion was used to estimate Ang II binding affinity (tau=1/k-(n)) to its receptor subtypes on CE and CM. Diabetes decreased tau value on CE and increased it on CM as compared to normal. In DL group, the tau value decreased on CE but was normalised on CM. Insulin treatment alone (DI) or with losartan (DIL) restored t to normal on both CE and CM. Western blot results for AT(1)-receptor density showed an increase in diabetics compared to normal with no normalising effect with insulin treatment. The AT(1)-receptor density was normalised in the diabetic groups treated with losartan +/- insulin. Results for AT(2)-receptor regulation revealed a significant difference between untreated (D) and losartan-treated (DL, DIL) diabetic groups. All of these data show the interrelated pathway and cross-talk between insulin and Ang II system indicating potentially negative effects on the diabetic heart.

Effect of insulin and angiotensin II receptor subtype-1 antagonist on myocardial remodelling in rats with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

OBJECTIVES

To assess the role of insulin or an angiotensin II receptor antagonist (losartan), or both, in preventing cardiomyocyte damage in rats suffering from insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), and to correlate it with insulin receptor modulation at the cardiomyocyte, coronary endothelium and skeletal muscle cell level.

DESIGN

Animals were divided into groups of normal rats, diabetic rats, and diabetic rats given insulin, each subdivided into a control group and an experimental group treated with losartan.

METHODS

The animals were killed 1 month after enrollment to the study. Perfusion of the heart with iodine-125-labelled insulin was carried out for all the groups and the binding kinetics of insulin to its receptors on the coronary endothelial cells and the cardiomyocytes were determined using a physical/mathematical model. In addition, tissue samples from the heart and intercostal skeletal muscle were snap frozen and used for histological, indirect immunofluorescence and western blot analysis.

RESULTS

Cardiac muscle from diabetic animals exhibited diffuse cardiomyopathic changes consisting of widespread vacuolation, loss of striation and cellular hypertrophy, which were reduced and even prevented by treatment with insulin and losartan. In addition, losartan seemed to mediate the upregulation of insulin receptor density on cardiomyocytes and skeletal muscle, and increase insulin receptor affinity at the coronary endothelial site. Finally, treatment with losartan induced a significant decrease in glucose concentrations in the diabetic group compared with the appropriate controls.

CONCLUSIONS

Addition of losartan to the standard insulin treatment in non-hypertensive animals with IDDM offers new benefits concerning cardiac protection and prevention of damage. This may be attributed, in part, to insulin receptor density and sensitization.