Abstract: AIM: To investigate the effects of iptakalim hydrohloride on K_ATP mRNA expression in renal tissues of spontaneously hypertensive rats. METHODS: SHRs at the age of 12-week-old were treated with Ipt 1, 3, and 9 mg°kg^-1°d^-1, benazepril 3 mg°kg^-1°d^-1 once a day for 12 weeks, respectively. The same aged WKY ratswere used as normal control. The effects of Ipt on BP and renal K ATP mRNA expression were detected by RT-PCR.RESULTS: mRNA expression level of SUR2、 Kir6.1 and Kir1.1 increased in SHR.After administra-tion of 1, 3, and 9 mg°kg^-1°d^-1 Ipt, the levels of BP were decreased, and the mRNA expression of Kir6.1 and Kir1.1were decreased. But there was no change in mR-NA expression of SUR2.In addition, there was no signif-icantly difference of mRNA expression of Kir6.2 among the SHR groups and the WKY group. CONCLUSION: The renal protective effects of Ipt may be related to regu-lation of genes expression of Kir6.1 and Kir1.1.

Key words: iptakalim hydrohloride, spontaneously hypertensive rats, gene expression, renal, ATP-sensitive potassium channel