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Hyperglycaemia abolishes the antihypertrophic efficacy of bradykinin in rat ventricular myocytes

A C Rosenkranz1, G J Dusting, R H Ritchie

  • 1Howard Florey Institute of Experimental Physiology and Medicine, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.

Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology & Physiology
|July 16, 1999
PubMed

Insights

High glucose levels in endothelial cells block bradykinin's ability to prevent heart cell hypertrophy. This finding impacts understanding of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and cardiovascular health.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Biology
  • Cellular Physiology
  • Endocrinology

Background:

  • Bradykinin normally inhibits cardiac myocyte hypertrophy.
  • Endothelial cells are crucial for bradykinin's antihypertrophic effect.
  • Hyperglycemia's impact on this interaction is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how hyperglycemia affects bradykinin's ability to prevent cardiac myocyte hypertrophy.
  • To examine the role of endothelial cells in this process under hyperglycemic conditions.

Main Methods:

  • Adult rat ventricular myocytes were co-cultured with bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC).
  • Hypertrophy was induced by angiotensin II (AngII) and measured by [3H]-phenylalanine incorporation.
  • BAEC were pretreated with high glucose (25 mmol/L) to induce hyperglycemia before co-culture.

Main Results:

  • Angiotensin II significantly increased myocyte hypertrophy, an effect abolished by bradykinin in normal co-cultures.
  • Hyperglycemic pretreatment of BAEC reduced bradykinin's antihypertrophic effect.
  • Hyperglycemia did not alter AngII's hypertrophic effect on myocytes.

Conclusions:

  • Hyperglycemia in endothelial cells abolishes bradykinin's protective effect against cardiac myocyte hypertrophy.
  • This suggests a mechanism by which high glucose impairs bradykinin signaling in the cardiovascular system.
  • Findings have implications for the efficacy of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in diabetic patients.

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