Exendin-4 has an anti-hypertensive effect in salt-sensitive mice model

The improvement of salt-sensitive hypertension is a therapeutic target for various vascular diseases. Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), an incretin peptide, has been reported to have natriuretic effect as well as blood glucose lowering effect, although its exact mechanism and clinical usefulness remain unclear. Here, we examined anti-hypertensive effect of exendin-4, a GLP-1 analog, in salt-sensitive obese db/db mice and angiotensin II (angII)-infused C57BLK6/J mice. The treatment of exendin-4 for 12 weeks inhibited the development of hypertension in db/db mice. In db/db mice, the urinary sodium excretion was delayed and blood pressure was elevated in response to a high-salt load, whereas these were attenuated by exendin-4. In db/db mice, intra-renal angII concentration was increased. Furthermore, exendin-4 prevented angII-induced hypertension in non-diabetic mice and inhibited angII-induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 in cultured renal cells. Considered together, our results indicate that exendin-4 has anti-hypertensive effects through the attenuation of angII-induced high-salt sensitivity.