Effects of imidapril on NOS expression and myocardial remodelling in failing heart of Dahl salt-sensitive hypertensive rats

OBJECTIVES: To elucidate the relationship between renin-angiotensin system and nitric oxide in hypertensive heart failure, we evaluated the effects of long-term treatment with imidapril, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, on endothelial-cell nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and inducible NOS (iNOS) expression in the left ventricle (LV) and its relation to myocardial remodelling in failing heart of Dahl salt-sensitive hypertensive rats (DS) fed a high-salt diet. METHODS: In DS rats fed an 8% NaCl diet after the age of 6 weeks, a stage of concentric left ventricular hypertrophy at 11 weeks (DSLVH) was followed by a distinct stage of fatal left ventricular failure with chamber dilatation at 18 weeks (DSCHF). Imidapril (DSCHF-I, n = 7, 1 mg/kg/day, subdepressor dose) or vehicle (DSCHF-V, n = 7) were given from DSLVH to DSCHF stage for 7 weeks, and age-matched (18 weeks) Dahl salt-resistant rats fed the same diet were served as control group (DR-C, n = 7). RESULTS: Markedly increased left ventricular end-diastolic diameter and reduced fractional shortening in DSCHF-V was significantly ameliorated in DSCHF-I using transthoracic echocardiography. The level of eNOS mRNA and protein in the LV was significantly suppressed in DSCHF-V compared with DR-C, and significantly increased in DSCHF-I compared with DR-C and DSCHF-V. The iNOS mRNA and protein and the fibrosis factor expression of type I collagen mRNA were significantly increased in DSCHF-V compared with DR-C, and significantly decreased in DSCHF-I compared with DSCHF-V. DSCHF-V demonstrated a significant increase in wall-to-lumen ratio, perivascular fibrosis, and myocardial fibrosis. These changes in the microvasculature were improved significantly by imidapril. CONCLUSIONS: Subdepressor dose of imidapril may ameliorate the endothelial damage not only by inhibiting production of angiotensin II but also by promoting eNOS and inhibiting iNOS mRNA and protein expression in the LV, and this increased eNOS mRNA and protein level may have a role in the improvement of congestive heart failure and myocardial remodelling.