Correlation between the effect of angiotensin-(1-7) on cardiac hypertrophy and extracellular signal-regulated kinase in pressure-overloaded rats

AIM: To investigate the effects and mechanisms of angiotensin-(1-7) on cardiac hypertrophy in pressure-overloaded rats. METHODS: Ar at model of pressure-overloaded heart was induced by constriction of abdominal aorta. Seventy-five male Sprague Dawley rats were randomized to sham-operated group, model control group and angiotensin-(1-7) treatment group. They were treated with intravenous infusion of angiotensin-(1-7) (25 microgram/kg per hour) or saline by minipump. RESULTS: Abdominal aortic banding resulted in a significant increases in LVW/BW, myocardial angiotensinⅡlevels, and p-ERK1/2 expression. Angiotensin-(1-7) had no effect on aortic banding-induced increases in myocardial angiotensinⅡlevels, but it significantly attenuated aortic banding-induced increases in LVW/BW and p-ERK1/2 expression. CONCLUSION: Angiotensin-(1-7) attenuates the development of cardiac hypertrophy in pressure-overloaded rats. It may be associated with the inhibition of p-ERK1/2 expression in cardiac tissue.