Superoxide-dependent cathepsin activation is associated with hypertensive myocardial remodeling and represents a target for angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker treatment.

ABSTRACT: The elastolytic activity of cathepsins in the myocardium is implicated in hypertensive heart failure (HF). Given that reactive oxygen species are also implicated in protease activation associated with cardiac remodeling, we examined the role of the reactive oxygen species-induced cathepsin activation system in cardiac remodeling during the development of hypertensive HF. Dahl salt-sensitive hypertensive rats maintained on a high-salt diet were treated with vehicle, the cathepsin inhibitor E64d, or the angiotensin receptor blocker olmesartan from 12 to 19 weeks of age. Cathepsin expression and activity were increased in the left ventricle of HF rats; olmesartan inhibited these effects, restored the balance between elastin and collagen in the left ventricle, and suppressed degradation of the

SUBMITTER: Cheng XW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2475774 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature