Tissue-specific expression of PPAR mRNAs in diabetic rats and divergent effects of cilostazol

Cilostazol and ligands of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) have been effectively used to alleviate diabetic complications, but the common and tissue-specific expression patterns of PPARs in different tissues in diabetic patients and those treated with cilostazol have not been reported. Here, we aimed to assess the effects of diabetes and cilostazol on mRNA expression of PPAR alpha and PPAR gamma in the aorta, renal cortex, and retina of diabetic rats treated with cilostazol for 8 weeks. PPAR alpha mRNA expression showed uniform downregulation in all these tissues in diabetic rats, and this effect was reversed by cilostazol treatment. Surprisingly, PPAR gamma mRNA expression was reduced in the renal cortex and retina, yet increased in the aorta of diabetic rats, although cilostazol still reversed these changes. Interestingly, cilostazol, a well-known phosphodiesterase 3 inhibitor and cAMP elevator, augmented cAMP content only in the aorta, but showed no significant effects in the renal cortex of diabetic rats. In conclusion, mRNA expression of PPARs is tissue-specific in diabetes and may be differently affected by cilostazol, possibly because of its tissue-specific effects on cAMP content.