Left ventricular hypertrophy in spontaneously hypertensive rat: effects of ACE-inhibition on myocardiocyte ultrastructure

Pharmacol Res. 1995 Jun;31(6):375-81. doi: 10.1016/1043-6618(95)80092-1.

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of two ACE-inhibitors with different chemical formulae, cilazapril (CLZ) and captopril (CPT), on left ventricular myocardiocytes from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), characterized by ultrastructural alterations associated with left ventricular hypertrophy, and from Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats, considered as controls. After CLZ-treatment, not remarkable changes are observed in WKY myocardiocytes, whereas SHR ones show a considerable reduction in their original alterations in ultrastructure. After CPT-treatment, both SHR and WKY myocardiocytes are altered in ultrastructure. The morphometric investigation confirms that CPT and CLZ produce different effects. Even if the drugs induce a similar decrease in blood pressure and left ventricular mass index, CLZ unlike CPT seems to improve the ultrastructural abnormalities associated with left ventricular hypertrophy. These changes could be related to the different chemical structure of CLZ and CPT, or to a different affinity of the two drugs for the local renin-angiotensin system.

MeSH terms

  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Animals
  • Blood Pressure / drug effects
  • Captopril / pharmacology
  • Cardiomegaly / etiology
  • Cardiomegaly / pathology*
  • Cilazapril / pharmacology
  • Heart Rate / drug effects
  • Hypertension / chemically induced
  • Hypertension / complications*
  • Hypertrophy
  • Male
  • Myocardium / ultrastructure*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Inbred SHR
  • Rats, Inbred WKY
  • Time Factors
  • Ventricular Function, Left / drug effects*

Substances

  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Cilazapril
  • Captopril