Diminazene Aceturate (DIZE) Ameliorates Hypertension and Induces Anxiolytic- and Antidepressant-like Effects in TGR(mRen2)27
Laura A Costa, Fl��vio A G Mour��o, Natalia Alenina, Michael Bader, Maria Jose Campagnole-Santos, Lucas M Kangussu
Author Information
Laura A Costa: Department of Morphology, Biological Sciences Institute, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
Fl��vio A G Mour��o: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Biological Sciences Institute, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
Natalia Alenina: Max-Delbr��ck Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), Berlin, Germany.
Michael Bader: Max-Delbr��ck Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), Berlin, Germany.
Maria Jose Campagnole-Santos: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Biological Sciences Institute, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
Lucas M Kangussu: Department of Morphology, Biological Sciences Institute, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil. ORCID
INTRODUCTION: Diminazene Aceturate (DIZE) was described as an angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) activator. ACE2/Angiotensin-(1-7)/Mas receptor axis presents protective actions on cardiovascular diseases and plays an important modulatory role in the neurobiology of mood and anxiety disorders. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of chronic intracerebroventricular (ICV) treatment with DIZE on blood pressure, anxiety- and depression-like behaviors in hypertensive transgenic (mRen2)27 rats (TGR). METHODS: Male TGR and Sprague-Dawley rats (10-12 weeks old) were subjected to chronic ICV infusion of DIZE (1.0 ��g/h for 7 days). Blood pressure and heart rate were measured by tail plethysmography and anxiety- and depression-like behaviors were evaluated through elevated plus maze, marble burying and forced swim tests, respectively. RESULTS: Treatment with DIZE induced a significant reduction in mean arterial pressure in both TGR and SD rats. A decrease in heart rate was only observed in the hypertensive animals. Additionally, treatment with DIZE attenuated the anxiety- and depression-like behaviors that were observed in TGR. CONCLUSION: DIZE has central anti-hypertensive, anxiolytic, and anti-depressive effects.
