Abstract: AIM: To examine the effects of pioglitazone, an agonist of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γon the expression of proinflammatory cytokine in cardiac hypertrophic rats, and to examine the anti-inflammatory activities of this drug. METHODS: Hypertrophic cells were produced by abdominal aortic banding.Pioglitazone(20 mg·kg^-1·d^-1) was given orally 1 week before operation and continued till 4 weeks after operation, then the rats were killed, the heart was excised and weighed, and the mRNA expression of interleukin-1β and cardiotropin-1 were examined by RT-PCR.The protein of the two cytokines was examined by immunohistochemical analysis. RESULTS: Pioglitazone reduced the mRNA and protein expression of the two proinflammatory cytokines and inhibited the pressure overload-induced increase in the heart weight-to-body weight ratio. CONCLUSION: Pioglitazone may regulate cardiac hypertrophy through inhibiting the expression of proinflammatory cytokines.

Key words: peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, cardiac hypertrophy, cytokine, thiazolidinedione, pioglitazone