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Vascular aldosterone in genetically hypertensive rats
Y Takeda1, I Miyamori, S Inaba
1Second Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Kanazawa University, Japan.
Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. : 1979)
|January 1, 1997
Summary
Vascular aldosterone and its mRNA are elevated in young stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP), suggesting a role in early hypertension development. Mineralocorticoid receptor and Na,K-ATPase mRNA also increase in SHRSP vasculature.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Research
- Endocrinology
- Hypertension Pathophysiology
Background:
- Aldosterone synthesis and cytochrome P450aldo mRNA have been identified in the vasculature.
- The specific role of vascular aldosterone in the development of hypertension requires further elucidation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the pathophysiological role of vascular aldosterone in hypertension.
- To compare aldosterone production and related gene expression in the mesenteric arteries of stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP) and Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY).
Main Methods:
- Measurement of vascular aldosterone concentration using radioimmunoassay after HPLC purification.
- Quantification of cytochrome P450aldo and mineralocorticoid receptor mRNA via RT-PCR and Southern blot.
- Analysis of alpha 1 Na,K-ATPase mRNA levels using Northern blot.
Main Results:
- Significantly increased vascular aldosterone and cytochrome P450aldo mRNA in 2-week-old SHRSP compared to WKY.
- Elevated mineralocorticoid receptor mRNA in the vasculature of 4- and 9-week-old SHRSP.
- Consistently higher vascular alpha 1 Na,K-ATPase mRNA levels in SHRSP across all age groups (2, 4, and 9 weeks).
Conclusions:
- Vascular aldosterone appears to contribute to the pathophysiology of hypertension during the early stages in SHRSP.
- Increased expression of mineralocorticoid receptor and alpha 1 Na,K-ATPase mRNA in the vasculature of SHRSP suggests potential mechanisms for vascular dysfunction.