Abstract: Objective  To investigate the effect of liraglutide on the expressions of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) in aorta endothelium of type 2 diabetic rats and the possible mechanism. Methods  Forty male SD rats were divided into the normal control group (NC group), diabetic control group (DM group), glibenclamide group (DMG group) and liraglutide group (DML group). The model of type2 diabetic rats was eatablised by injecting with low-dose streptozocin(STZ) into abdominal cavity of SD rats after high-fat and high-sugar diet. Then rats in DMG and DML groups were treated with liraglutide and glibenclamide for 8 weeks. At the end of the twelfth week, blood was taken from abdominal aorta to examine biochemical indexes including fasting blood-glucose(FBG), fasting insulin(FIns), totalcholesterol(TC), triglyceride(TG), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol(LDL-C) and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C). The thoracic aorta was isolated to observe the histological parameters by HE staining. The expressions of NF-κB and VCAM-1 in aorta endothelium were determined by immunohistochemical method. RusultsThe levels of FIns and HOMA-IR in DMG group and DML group were decreased compared with those in DM group (P<0.01). The levels of FIns, HOMA-IR,TG and LDL-C and the expressions of NF-κB and VCAM-1 in in aorta endothelium in DML group were decreased compared with those in DMG group (P<0.05). Conclusion  Liraglutide can decrease the expressions of NF-κB and VCAM-1 in aorta endothelium of type2 diabetic rats and improve glucolipid metabolism. This may be involved in vascular complications of diabetes.

Key words: Nuclear factor-kappa B, Liraglutide, Vascular cell adhesion molecule 1, Diabetic rats