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Weight loss and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system
Stefan Engeli1, Jana Böhnke, Kerstin Gorzelniak
1Medical Faculty of the Charité, Franz Volhard Clinic and Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, HELIOS-Klinikum, Berlin, Germany. engeli@fvk.charite-buch.de
Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. : 1979)
|January 5, 2005
Summary
Obesity-associated hypertension is linked to the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. A 5% body weight reduction in menopausal women lowered this system in plasma and adipose tissue, reducing systolic blood pressure.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Metabolic Disorders
Background:
- The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) is implicated in obesity-associated hypertension.
- Understanding RAAS in adipose tissue is crucial for metabolic health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of obesity and weight reduction on circulating and adipose tissue RAAS in menopausal women.
- To correlate changes in RAAS with blood pressure reduction after weight loss.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of plasma and adipose tissue for RAAS components (angiotensinogen, renin, aldosterone, ACE, Ang II).
- Gene expression analysis of RAAS components in adipose tissue biopsies.
- A 13-week weight reduction protocol (-600 kcal/day) in obese women.
Main Results:
- Obese women exhibited higher circulating RAAS markers and lower adipose tissue angiotensinogen expression compared to lean women.
- Weight reduction (-5%) significantly decreased plasma RAAS components and adipose tissue angiotensinogen expression.
- Plasma angiotensinogen reduction strongly correlated with waist circumference decrease (r=0.74).
- Weight loss and RAAS reduction led to a -7 mm Hg decrease in systolic blood pressure.
Conclusions:
- A modest 5% body weight reduction effectively reduces RAAS activity in both plasma and adipose tissue in menopausal women.
- This RAAS modulation likely contributes to the observed reduction in blood pressure, highlighting a therapeutic target for obesity-related hypertension.