Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibition Delays Onset of Glucosuria With Regression of Renal Injuries in Genetic Rat Model of Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus.

Background: The Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rat is a new genetic model of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). We investigated whether angiotensin inhibition influences the onset of NIDDM and brings about a regression of renal injury in diabetes mellitus.Methods and Results: Six-week-old OLETF rats were treated with the angiotensin-con verting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors imidapril or enalapril for 16 weeks. Systolic blood pres sure is increased in an age-dependent manner in OLETF rats. In this study, the elevation in systolic blood pressure was dose-dependently reduced by ACE inhibitor treatment. In OLETF rats, plasma concentrations of insulin and glucose increased and the glucosuria occurred at the age of 22 weeks. Simultaneously, OLETF rats exhibited proteinuria and nodular lesions in glomeruli. The ACE inhibitor treatment almost completely reduced glu cosuria, and also decreased plasma concentrations of insulin and glucose in OLETF rats. ACE inhibitor treatment lessened the protei...