Abstract: To explore the effect of adenoviral gene transfer of angiotensin converting enzyme-2（ACE2） on diabetic cardiomyopathy rats. MethodsDiabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ in male Wistar rats. After 12 weeks, the rats were randomly divided into three groups: the control group, the EGFP group and the ACE2 group. Sterile saline, recombinant adenoviral carrying enhanced green fluorescent protein gene (AdV5.eGFP) and recombinant adenoviral carrying mouse ACE2 gene (AdV5.ACE2) were respectively injected to myocardia in different groups. 10 days after gene transfection, myocardial ACE2 mRNA expression was determined. 30 days after gene transfection , left ventricular function, myocardial collagen content and myocardial AngII level were also determined. ResultsCompared with the control and EGFP groups, ACE2mRNA (P<0.05) and cardiac function (P<0.05) were significantly increased in the ACE2 group while myocardial collagen content (P<0.01) and AngII level were significantly decreased in the ACE2 group(P<0.01). ConclusionsOverexpression of ACE2 may have therapeutic potentials in improving cardiac function.

Key words: Diabetes mellitus, Peptidyldipeptidase A, AngiotensinⅡ, Gene therapy