Abstract:

Objective  To investigate the expression of fibroblast growth factor-inducible 14(Fn14)and the effects of perindopril on it in spontaneous hypertension rats(SHR). Methods  8 six-week-old male SHR were randomly divided into two groups: the SHR group(SHR-C, n=9)and the perindopril group(SHR-P, n=9). Another 9 six-week-old male Wistar Kyoto  rats were recruited as the healthy control (WKY). Rats in the SHR-P group were treated with perindopril for 24 weeks. An echocardiographic scan was performed in each group to measure the average image intensity(AII),peak to peak intensity(PPI) and corrected acoustic intensity(CAI) at the interventricular septum and left ventricular lateral wall at the beginning and end of the experiment. After 24 weeks,all rats were killed. The heart weight was measured to calculate the heart weight index(HWI),the total collagen was studied by Masson staining and sion  of Fn14 was evaluated by immunohistochemical technique. Results   HWI and expression of fn14 in the SHR-C group rats were significantly increased(P <0.01)compared with the WKY group; HWI and expression of fn14 in SHR-P group rats were remarkably decreased in comparison with the SHR-C group(P <0.01).  Compared with the WKY group,AII and CAI at the interventricular septum and left ventricular lateral wall in SHR-C group rats were significantly increased(P <0.01), while PPI was significantly decreased (P <0.01); AII and CAI in SHR-P group rats were decreased while PPI was increased compared with the SHR-C group(P <0.05). Expression of Fn14 correlated well with  collagen fibers (r=0.954,P <0.01).  Conclusions  Fn14 may play a role in myocardial fibrosis. Perindopril may ameliorate myocardial fibrosis through decreasing expression of Fn14.

Key words: Fibroblast growth factor-inducible 14; Spontaneous hypertension rat; Myocardial fibrosis; Perindopril; Modles,  animal