A study of the effects of SGLT-2 inhibitors on diabetic cardiomyopathy through miR-30d/KLF9/VEGFA pathway.
Zhang Wy, J Wang, A-Z Li
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to observe the protective effects of SGLT-2 inhibitors on diabetic cardiomyopathy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After constructing a diabetic rat model, the effects of SGLT-2 (Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2) inhibitors and miR-30d on cardiac function in rats were investigated by cardiac echocardiography, hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, and immunohistochemical methods. At the same time, changes in autophagy levels in rats were detected by Western blot (WB) experiments. RESULTS: SGLT-2 inhibitors improved the cardiac function of diabetic rats, and alleviated the pathological damage of myocardial tissue. Besides, knocking down miR-30d prevented the decrease of cardiac function in diabetic rats. Moreover, miR-30d could regulate the expression of the KLF9/VEGFA pathway and inhibit autophagy in rats. CONCLUSIONS: SGLT-2 inhibitors can regulate the autophagy level in diabetic rats through the miR-30d/KLF9/VEGFA pathway, thereby improving cardiac function.