Distribution of Endothelin-Converting Enzyme in the Heart of Human and Rat
SHENG Hong-zhuan
ZHU Jian-hua
WU Xiao-hui
SU En-ben
XU Dong-jie
XU Jin-dan
ZHANG Ji-nan
Abstract：Objective : To determine the distribution of endothelin-converting enzyme ( ECE)in different parts of the heart of adult normal Chinese and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat. Methods:TheECE mRNA was determined by semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. ECEactivity was determined by the conversion of exogenously added big endothelin-1 to endothelin-1. Re-sults:The ECE mRNA and activity were detected in different parts of the heart. In human, the ECEexpression in atria was significantly higher than those in ventricles. No significant difference was ob-served between left and right atrium, and among the left ventricle, right ventricle and interventricularseptum. The distribution of ECE activity was consistent with that of mRNA expression. The rat had asimilar pattern of distribution of either ECE mRNA expression or activity with that of human. Conclu-sion:ECE exists in all parts of the heart of normal Chinese and SD rat and its distribution is similarin human and rat hearts.
Keywords：endothelin-converting enzymehearthumanrat
Publication Date：2003-03-02
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：5( 53-57 )