PPAR-Gamma Activation May Inhibit the In Vivo Degeneration of Bioprosthetic Aortic and Aortic Valve Grafts under Diabetic Conditions.

Background: We aimed to examine the anti-calcification and anti-inflammatory effects of pioglitazone as a PPAR-gamma agonist on bioprosthetic-valve-bearing aortic grafts in a rat model of diabetes mellitus (DM).

Methods: DM was induced in male Wistar rats by high-fat diet with an intraperitoneal streptozotocin (STZ) injection. The experimental group received additional pioglitazone, and controls received normal chow without STZ ( = 20 each group).