Abstract: AIM: To observe the effects of valsartan on the cardiac hypertrophy and the expression of PTEN in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR).METHODS: Twenty 12-week-old male SHRwere randomly divided into 2 groups: SHR positive control group and valsartan treating group (30 mg·kg^-1·d^-1). 10 homogenous Wistar-kyoto (WKY) rats were served as normal control group. Blood pressure and the ratio of left ventricular weight to body weight(LVW/BW) of rats were monitored periodically during the 8-weeks studies. Expression of PTEN in cardiac myocytes was determined by immunohistochemistry.RESULTS: Blood pressure and LVW/BW increased in the valsartan group more than those in the SHR control group, and the expression of PTEN in cardiac myocytes in valsartan group increased more than that in the SHR control group, but the indexes were lower than those in the WKY group.CONCLUSION: Valsartan can not only inhibit the progression of cardiac hypertrophy in spontaneously hypertensive rats, but also increase the expression of PTEN. PTEN may play a role in cardiac hypertrophy.

Key words: PTEN, hypertension, SHR, cardiac hypertrophy, valsartan