Abstract
BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to survey the therapeutic function of curcumin-encapsulated poly(gamma-benzyl l-glutamate)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(gammabenzyl l-glutamate) (PBLG-PEG-PBLG) (P) on diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) via cross regulation effect of calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) and endogenous cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE)/hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S). METHODS: Diabetic rats were preconditioned with 20 mg/kg curcumin or curcumin/P complex continuously for 8 weeks. The blood and myocardiums were collected, the level of serum H(2)S was observed, and the [Ca(2+)](i) content was measured in myocardial cells, and hematoxylin-eosin, CaSR, CSE, and calmodulin (CaM) expression were detected. RESULTS: Both curcumin and curcumin/P pretreatment alleviated pathological morphological damage of myocardium, increased H(2)S and [Ca(2+)](i) levels, and upregulated the expression of CaSR, CSE, and CaM as compared to DCM group, while curcumin/P remarkably augmented this effect. CONCLUSION: PBLG-PEG-PBLG could improve water-solubility and bioactivity of curcumin and curcumin/PBLG-PEG-PBLG significantly alleviated diabetic cardiomyopathy.