Effects of N-acetylcysteine on the expression of cardiac adiponectin and its receptors in diabetic rats / 解放军医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on the expression of cardiac adiponectin and its receptors in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Methods Thirty-two male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups, with 8 in each untreated control group (C group), NAC-treatment group (CT group), diabetic untreated group (D group) and diabetic NAC-treatment group (DT group). After 8 weeks, plasma glucose and insulin, and cardiomyocyte cross sectional area were measured. Cardiac protein expression of adiponectin receptor 1 and 2 (adipoR1 and adipoR2), AMP-activated protein kinase ? (AMPK?), phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase ?-subunits and glucose transporter 4 (GluT4) were determined by Western blotting. Plasma and myocardial adiponectin levels were measured by radioimmunoassay. Plasma and myocardial free 15-F2t-isoprostane levels were assayed by enzyme immunoassay. Results Compared with C group, the ratio of ventricular weight to body weight and cardiomyocyte cross-sectional area, plasma and levels of free 15-F2t-isoprostane in myocardium and the protein expression of myocardial adipoR1 increased significantly in diabetic rats (D group) (P