Apelin protects against angiotensin II-induced cardiovascular fibrosis and decreases plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 production.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To test the hypothesis that apelin protects against angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced cardiovascular fibrosis and vascular remodeling.

Methods and results

Wild-type mice administered apelin or apelin along with Ang II exhibited less cardiovascular fibrosis and decreased plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1) gene expression than mice receiving Ang II, N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), apelin plus L-NAME or apelin plus Ang II plus L-NAME. In-vitro analysis using a luciferase construct driven by 3.1 kb of the human PAI-1 promoter revealed that apelin blocked Ang II-mediated PAI-1 gene expression. Immunoblotting for phosphorylated myosin phosphatase subunit and myosin light chain revealed that apelin blocked Ang II activation of the Rho kinase pathway, w

SUBMITTER: Siddiquee K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3982221 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature