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Published on: October 26, 2020
Portal hypertensive response to kinin
Maria Kouyoumdjian1, Marcia R Nagaoka, Mauricio R Loureiro-Silva
1Laboratório de Hepatologia Experimental, UNIFESP, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
Insights
Bradykinin increases resistance in liver blood vessels via B2 receptors, a mechanism unchanged by liver disease. Angiotensin converting enzyme degrades bradykinin after its hypertensive effect.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Vascular Biology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Portal hypertension, a common complication of chronic liver diseases like cirrhosis, stems from increased intrahepatic vascular resistance.
- This resistance is linked to cellular architectural changes and stellate cell contraction.
- The kallikrein-kinin system and its role in disease development are areas of interest.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of bradykinin in normal and experimental models of hepatic injury.
- To elucidate the mechanisms underlying bradykinin-induced changes in intrahepatic vascular resistance.
Main Methods:
- Utilized isolated rat liver perfusion models (mono and bivascular).
- Employed isolated liver cells for experimental analysis.
- Reviewed historical aspects of the kallikrein-kinin system.
Main Results:
- Bradykinin-induced increase in intrahepatic vascular resistance is mediated by B2 receptors, involving sinusoidal endothelial and stellate cells, and persists in inflammation, fibrosis, and cirrhosis.
- The hepatic arterial hypertensive response to bradykinin is calcium-independent and eicosanoid-mediated.
- Bradykinin lacks a vasodilating effect on pre-constricted perfused rat livers.
- Angiotensin converting enzyme degrades bradykinin following its hypertensive effect.
Conclusions:
- The hypertensive response to bradykinin is consistently mediated by the B2 receptor in both normal and pathological liver conditions.
- The B1 receptor shows increased expression in regenerating and cirrhotic livers, warranting further investigation into its role.
Abstract:
Portal hypertension is the most common complication of chronic liver diseases, such as cirrhosis. The increased intrahepatic vascular resistance seen in hepatic disease is due to changes in cellular architecture and active contraction of stellate cells. In this article, we review the historical aspects of the kallikrein-kinin system, the role of bradykinin in the development of disease, and our main findings regarding the role of this nonapeptide in normal and experimental models of hepatic injury using the isolated rat liver perfusion model (mono and bivascular) and isolated liver cells. We demonstrated that: 1) the increase in intrahepatic vascular resistance induced by bradykinin is mediated by B2 receptors, involving sinusoidal endothelial and stellate cells, and is preserved in the presence of inflammation, fibrosis, and cirrhosis; 2) the hepatic arterial hypertensive response to bradykinin is calcium-independent and mediated by eicosanoids; 3) bradykinin does not have vasodilating effect on the pre-constricted perfused rat liver; and, 4) after exertion of its hypertensive effect, bradykinin is degraded by angiotensin converting enzyme. In conclusion, the hypertensive response to BK is mediated by the B2 receptor in normal and pathological situations. The B1 receptor is expressed more strongly in regenerating and cirrhotic livers, and its role is currently under investigation.
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