OBJECTIVETo study the effect of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ (PPAR-γ) agonist on the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) mRNA expression in monocyte-derived macrophages of essential hypertensive patients.

METHODSTotally 57 essential hypertensive patients were randomly divided into three groups: conventional treatment group (n=18), telmisartan group (n=19), and benazepril group (n=20); 20 patients with normal blood pressure were also selected as the control group. Monocyte-derived macrophages were isolated from blood samples of patients in all four groups. The expression of ACE2 mRNA in monocyte-derived macrophages was detected by RT-PCR before treatment and 4 and 12 weeks after treatment.

RESULTSFour and 12 weeks after treatment, the systolic pressure and diastolic pressure of telmisartan group and benazepril group were significantly lower than that of the conventional treatment group (all P<0.01), and the systolic pressure and diastolic pressure of telmisartan group were significantly lower than that of the benazepril group(both P<0.01) .The expression of ACE2 mRNA in monocyte-derived macrophages were significantly lower in essential hypertensive patients than that in control group (P<0.01). After having been treated for 4 weeks and 12 weeks, the expression of ACE2 mRNA in monocyte-derived macrophages of hypertensive patients in telmisartan and benazepril groups were significantly higher than that in conventional treatment group (all P<0.01), and the expression of ACE2 mRNA in telmisartan group was significantly higher than that in benazepril group (both P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONPPAR-γ agonist could increase the ACE2 mRNA expression in monocyte-derived macrophages of essential hypertensive patients.