OBJECTIVEHyperglycemia could upregulate transforming growth factor-beta (TGFbeta(1)) via thrombospondin (TSP-1) and induce fibrotic renal disease in the rat in vivo and myocardial fibrosis was related to cardiac dysfunction in diabetic patients. We explored the role of glucose/TSP-1/TGFbeta(1) signal pathways in the development of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM).

METHODSMale Wistar rats were fed with high cholesterol diet for 17 weeks, streptozocin (30 mg/kg, i.p) was given at the 28th day, rats with fasting blood glucose > or = 11.1 mmol/L by the end of the 5th week were assigned to DCM group (n = 11). Control rats (n = 8) were fed with regular chow. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) was monitored throughout the study. After hemodynamic measurements by the end of the study, myocardial collagen content was quantified in Masson-stained samples and the mRNA expressions of TSP-1 and TGFbeta(1) were detected by quantification real-time RT-PCR. The protein levels of TSP-1, active and latent TGFbeta(1) were detected by Western blot.

RESULTSCompared with control group, cardiac function was decreased as shown by significantly reduced left ventricular systolic pressure, dp/dt(max) and dp/dt(min), while the myocardial collagen content was significantly increased in the DCM group (11.01 +/- 3.05 vs. 16.92 +/- 3.18, P < 0.01). The myocardial mRNA expressions of TSP-1, TGFbeta(1) and protein expressions of TSP-1, active and latent TGFbeta(1) in the DCM group were also significantly higher than those of the control group. Moreover, myocardial collagen was positively correlated to FBG (r = 0.746, P < 0.01); mRNA expressions of TSP-1 and TGFbeta(1), protein expressions of TSP-1 and active TGFbeta(1) were positively correlated to FBG and myocardial collagen (P < 0.05). However, there were no correlations between the protein expression of latent TGFbeta(1) and FBG and myocardial collagen.

CONCLUSIONThe pathway of glucose/TSP-1/TGFbeta(1) might play an important role in myocardial interstitial fibrosis of DCM. It may be the basis of novel therapeutic approaches for ameliorating DCM.