The Expression Of Toll-like Receptors In Arteria Of Diabetic Rats And The Effect Of Valsartan On Them

Objective The expression of Toll-like recpter (TLR)2, TLR4, MyD88 and NF-κB in the arteria of STZ-induced diabeticrats and the effect of Valsartan on them. Methods Thirty-oneSprague-Dawley rats (160 to 180g, male) were assigned randomly toreceive streptozotocin at a dose of 60 mg/kg intraperitoneally(diabetes, n=24) or citrate buffer alone (controls, n=7). One weekafter injection, only streptozotocin-treated rats with plasma glucoseconcentrations above 16.7mmol/L were considered diabetic and weresubsequently dividied into two groups: DM group and DV groupwhich treated with Valsartan 20mg/kg·d intragastricly. The levels ofblood glucose and body weight of rats were observed every twoweeks. At 12 weeks, the rats in three groups were sacrificed for theirarteria and blood samples. The expression of TLR2, TLR4, MyD88and NF-κB mRNA in the arteria of rats were detected by reversetranscription PCR. The expression of TLR4 and MyD88 protein inthe arteria of rats were detected by immunohistochemistry andWestern blot. Results (1) The body weight of diabetic rats in DMgroup and DV group decreased significantly compared with that inNC group (P＜0.01), The blood glucose of diabetic rats in DM groupand DV group decreased significantly compared with that in NCgroup (P＜0.01), but no notable difference was found in blood glucoseand body weight between DM group and DV group (P＞0.05). (2) Theexpression of TLR2, TLR4, MyD88 and NF-κ3 mRNA in DM group was much higher than that in NC group (P＜0.01), but it was muchlower in DV group than that in DM group (P＜0.01). (3) Theexpression of TLR4 and MyD88 protein in DM group was muchhigher than that in NC group (P＜0.01), but it was much lower in DVgroup than that in DM group (P＜0.01). Conclusion Compared withthe normal group, the expression of TLR2, TLR4, MyD88 and NF-κBwas much higher in the arteria of diabetic rats. Valsartan couldobviously reduce the expression of them, which implicate that itcould be used for preventing and treating the earlier inflammation inthe arteria of rats with diabetes.