Objective To investigate the effect of angiotensin convening enzyme inhibitor (ACEI),
benazepril, on the clinicohistological
changes of normal and
adriamycin nephrotic rats. Methods When proteinria was present for 2 weeks after injection of adriamycin, these rats were treated with saline、predsone、 amlodipine and
benazepril. Urinary protein excretion was measured in 0, 3rd, 6th week after treatment. Mesangial cell index and mesangial matrix index were assessed in the 6th week. Moreover immunohistochenical stain for type Ⅳ collagen, fibronectin and laminin were performed before and after treatment, and RNA transcription of laminin was evaluated with slit hybridization. Results Proteinuria of benazepril-treated rats was significantly reduced after 6-week treatment compared with those before treatment< (44 .7 ± 6.0)mg／２４h vs(56.8 ±23 .4)mg/24h. The proliferation of mesangial cells and the synthesis of mesangial matrix were inhibited in the benazepril-treated rats. Similar results were achieved in the predisone-treated rats, but not in amlodipine-treated rats. Conclusion Benazepril can sigificantly reduce the synthesis of mesangial matrix in adriamycin nephrosis rats by inhibiting RNA transcription.