scholarly journals Activation of the Sympathetic Nervous System Promotes Blood Pressure Salt-Sensitivity in C57BL6/J Mice

Hypertension ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 77 (1) ◽  
pp. 158-168
Author(s):  
Ailsa F. Ralph ◽  
Celine Grenier ◽  
Hannah M. Costello ◽  
Kevin Stewart ◽  
Jessica R. Ivy ◽  
...  

Global salt intake averages >8 g/person per day, over twice the limit advocated by the American Heart Association. Dietary salt excess leads to hypertension, and this partly mediates its poor health outcomes. In ≈30% of people, the hypertensive response to salt is exaggerated. This salt-sensitivity increases cardiovascular risk. Mechanistic cardiovascular research relies heavily on rodent models and the C57BL6/J mouse is the most widely used reference strain. We examined the effects of high salt intake on blood pressure, renal, and vascular function in the most commonly used and commercially available C57BL6/J mouse strain. Changing from control (0.3% Na + ) to high salt (3% Na + ) diet increased systolic blood pressure in male mice by ≈10 mm Hg within 4 days of dietary switch. This hypertensive response was maintained over the 3-week study period. Returning to control diet gradually reduced blood pressure back to baseline. High-salt diet caused a rapid and sustained downregulation in mRNA encoding renal NHE3 (sodium-hydrogen-exchanger 3) and EnaC (epithelial sodium channel), although we did not observe a suppression in aldosterone until ≈7 days. During the development of salt-sensitivity, the acute pressure natriuresis relationship was augmented and neutral sodium balance was maintained throughout. High-salt diet increased ex vivo sensitivity of the renal artery to phenylephrine and increased urinary excretion of adrenaline, but not noradrenaline. The acute blood pressure–depressor effect of hexamethonium, a ganglionic blocker, was enhanced by high salt. Salt-sensitivity in commercially sourced C57BL6/J mice is attributable to sympathetic overactivity, increased adrenaline, and enhanced vascular sensitivity to alpha-adrenoreceptor activation and not sodium retention or attenuation of the acute pressure natriuresis response.

Hypertension ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 78 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peng Xu ◽  
John J Gildea ◽  
Mahabuba Akhter ◽  
Robert M Carey ◽  
Wei Yue ◽  
...  

Salt sensitivity affects approximately 20% of adults worldwide and has similar mortality and morbidity sequalae as hypertension. Research has focused on the harmful effects of a high salt diet but have not focused on the harmful effects of a low salt diet. Inverse salt sensitive (ISS) individuals require high salt intake in order to maintain a normal blood pressure. Aldosterone increases ENaC and sodium reabsorption via the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR). We previously reported that αENaC was significantly lower in ISS renal tubule cells isolated from urine (uRTC), while these cells showed higher ENaC like activities under trypsin stimulation. We hypothesized that aldosterone may act as a stimulus and play a role in ISS high blood pressure on a low salt diet (LSD). Plasma aldosterone was significantly increased on LSD in all salt study participants, and ISS individuals showed the highest aldosterone level (ISS HS 3.8±0.38, n=26; ISS LS 35±3.38, n=22; SR HS 4.34±0.18, n=180; SR LS 32.62±1.6, n=152; SS HS 4.65±0.35, n=43; SS LS 26.08±2.18, n=38; HS Vs LS, p<0.001, two-way ANOVA). Moreover, both aldosterone and plasma renin activity (PRA) were significantly lower in salt sensitive (SS) individuals on LSD (PRA LS: ISS 6.05±0.87, n=17; SR 5.94±0.36, n=108; SS 4.43±0.57, n=34; p<0.05, one-way ANOVA), indicating LSD was protective to SS individuals. Treatment of uRTCs with 1 μM aldosterone increased MR and αENaC expression in ISS but not in SR (salt resistant) cells (MR: SR VEH 12164±213; SR Aldosterone 12327±128; ISS VEH 12128±40 vs ISS Aldosterone 13506±128, n=3, p<0.001, two-way ANOVA; αENaC: SR VEH 5023±46; SR Aldosterone 4895±55; ISS VEH 4270±21 vs ISS Aldosterone 5013±113, n=3, p<0.001, two-way ANOVA). High salt treatment further decreased MR in ISS but not in SR cells (ISS: 142mM 11066±188 vs 192mM 10425±74; p<0.05, n=3 two-way ANOVA). These results are consistent with the hypothesis that ISS individuals retain excess Na + and exhibit decreased BP when compared to SR or SS individuals under high salt diet, but reabsorb more sodium and exhibit elevated blood pressure under low salt diet. Higher circulating aldosterone and ex-vivo urine derived renal cell aldosterone sensitivity under low salt conditions may be a novel diagnostic test to identify ISS individuals.


1996 ◽  
Vol 271 (1) ◽  
pp. R109-R114 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. W. John ◽  
A. T. Veress ◽  
U. Honrath ◽  
C. K. Chong ◽  
L. Peng ◽  
...  

Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP)-gene knockout mice of three genotypes (+/+, +/-, and -/-) were maintained on a low-salt diet (0.008% NaCl). They were then fed either the same low-salt diet or a high-salt diet (8% NaCl) for 1 wk. No differences were found among genotypes in daily food and water intakes or in urinary volume and electrolyte excretions. Arterial blood pressures measured in anesthetized animals at the end of the dietary regimen were significantly and similarly increased in -/- compared with +/+ mice on each diet. Renal excretion of fluid and electrolytes was measured in anesthetized mice before and after acute blood volume expansion. No genotype differences were observed before volume expansion. After volume expansion the wild-type (+/+) mice had much greater saluretic responses than either the heterozygous (+/-) or the homozygous mutant (-/-) animals on the low-salt diet but not on the high-salt diet. We conclude that ANP lowers blood pressure in the absence of detected changes in renal function; ANP is not essential for normal salt balance, even on high-salt intake; and ANP is essential for the natriuretic response to acute blood volume expansion on a low-salt but not high-salt intake.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eliane F. E. Wenstedt ◽  
Lisanne Beugelink ◽  
Esmee M. Schrooten ◽  
Emma Rademaker ◽  
Nienke M. G. Rorije ◽  
...  

AbstractThe retinal microcirculation is increasingly receiving credit as a relatively easily accessible microcirculatory bed that correlates closely with clinical cardiovascular outcomes. The effect of high salt (NaCl) intake on the retinal microcirculation is currently unknown. Therefore, we performed an exploratory randomized cross-over dietary intervention study in 18 healthy males. All subjects adhered to a two-week high-salt diet and low-salt diet, in randomized order, after which fundus photographs were taken and assessed using a semi-automated computer-assisted program (SIVA, version 4.0). Outcome parameters involved retinal venular and arteriolar tortuosity, vessel diameter, branching angle and fractal dimension. At baseline, participants had a mean (SD) age of 29.8 (4.4) years and blood pressure of 117 (9)/73 (5) mmHg. Overall, high-salt diet significantly increased venular tortuosity (12.2%, p = 0.001). Other retinal parameters were not significantly different between diets. Changes in arteriolar tortuosity correlated with changes in ambulatory systolic blood pressure (r = − 0.513; p = 0.04). In conclusion, high-salt diet increases retinal venular tortuosity, and salt-induced increases in ambulatory systolic blood pressure associate with decreases in retinal arteriolar tortuosity. Besides potential eye-specific consequences, both phenomena have previously been associated with hypertension and other cardiovascular risk factors, underlining the deleterious microcirculatory effects of high salt intake.


Hypertension ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 66 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nuno Pires ◽  
Bruno Igreja ◽  
Eduardo Moura ◽  
Maria João Bonifácio ◽  
Paula Serrão ◽  
...  

Loss of salt-inducible kinase 1 (SIK1) triggers an increase in blood pressure (BP) upon a chronic high-salt intake in mice (Circ Res 2015;116:642-52). Here, we address possible acute mechanisms that may relate to the observed high BP in mice lacking SIK1. SIK1 knockout ( sik1 -/- ) and wild-type ( sik1 +/+ ) littermate mice were challenged for seven days with a normal- (0.3% NaCl) or high-salt (8% NaCl) diet. Systolic BP (SBP) was significantly increased in sik1 -/- mice (137.0±17.2 mmHg) after seven days of high-salt intake, as compared to sik1 +/+ mice counterparts (120.6±4.5 mmHg). The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) were assayed in order to investigate the possible causes for the increase in SBP in sik1 -/- mice fed a high-salt diet. No differences in renin (normal-salt: 463.4±17.9, high-salt: 462.9±28.9 pg/ml) and angiotensin II (normal-salt: 45.8±10.0, high-salt: 39.0±8.5 pg/ml) serum levels were observed. The activity of dopamine β-hydroxylase (DβH), the enzyme that converts dopamine (DA) to norepinephrine (NE), was significantly increased in the adrenal glands of sik1 -/- mice fed a high-salt diet (356.7±32.8 nmol/mg protein) as compared to sik1 -/- mice on a normal-salt diet (184.4±14.4 nmol/mg protein). Similarly, urinary catecholamines (DA, NE, epinephrine) and L-DOPA were significantly increased (3- to 7-fold increase) in sik1 -/- mice fed a high-salt diet as compared to sik1 -/- mice on a normal-salt intake. Altogether, this data supports the view that sik1 -/- mice fed a high-salt diet develop SNS overactivity. Next, we addressed the question if reducing SNS activity in sik1 -/- mice fed a high-salt diet would ameliorate hypertension. For that purpose, the effect of etamicastat, a peripheral reversible DβH inhibitor, was evaluated on the development of high BP upon high-salt diet. Etamicastat treatment (50 mg/kg/day), started prior to high-salt feeding, completely prevented SBP increase in sik1 -/- mice fed a high-salt diet (116.8±4.7 mmHg). It is concluded that the SNS is involved in the development of salt-induced hypertension in sik1 -/- mice and that the DβH inhibitor etamicastat is able to reduce SNS overactivity and high BP in this mouse model of hypertension.


2012 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 353-359 ◽  
Author(s):  
MA Bayorh ◽  
A Rollins-Hairston ◽  
J Adiyiah ◽  
D Lyn ◽  
D Eatman

Introduction: The upregulation of cyclooxygenase (COX) expression by aldosterone (ALDO) or high salt diet intake is very interesting and complex in the light of what is known about the role of COX in renal function. Thus, in this study, we hypothesize that apocynin (APC) and/or eplerenone (EPL) inhibit ALDO/salt-induced kidney damage by preventing the production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Methods: Dahl salt-sensitive rats on either a low-salt or high-salt diet were treated with ALDO (0.2 mg pellet) in the presence of EPL (100 mg/kg/day) or APC (1.5 mM). Indirect blood pressure, prostaglandins and ALDO levels and histological changes were measured. Results: Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) levels were upregulated in the renal tubules and peritubular vessels after high-salt intake, and APC attenuated renal tubular COX-2 protein expression induced by ALDO. Plasma PGE2 levels were significantly reduced by ALDO in the rats fed a low-salt diet when compared to rats fed a high-salt diet. PGE2 was blocked by EPL but increased in the presence of APC. Conclusions: The beneficial effects of EPL may be associated with an inhibition of PGE2. The mechanism underlying the protective effects of EPL is clearly distinct from that of APC and suggests that these agents can have differential roles in cardiovascular disease.


2010 ◽  
Vol 298 (6) ◽  
pp. F1465-F1471 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deyin Lu ◽  
Yiling Fu ◽  
Arnaldo Lopez-Ruiz ◽  
Rui Zhang ◽  
Ramiro Juncos ◽  
...  

Neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), which is abundantly expressed in the macula densa cells, attenuates tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF). We hypothesize that splice variants of nNOS are expressed in the macula densa, and nNOS-β is a salt-sensitive isoform that modulates TGF. Sprague-Dawley rats received a low-, normal-, or high-salt diet for 10 days and levels of the nNOS-α, nNOS-β, and nNOS-γ were measured in the macula densa cells isolated with laser capture microdissection. Three splice variants of nNOS, α-, β-, and γ-mRNAs, were detected in the macula densa cells. After 10 days of high-salt intake, nNOS-α decreased markedly, whereas nNOS-β increased two- to threefold in the macula densa measured with real-time PCR and in the renal cortex measured with Western blot. NO production in the macula densa was measured in the perfused thick ascending limb with an intact macula densa plaque with a fluorescent dye DAF-FM. When the tubular perfusate was switched from 10 to 80 mM NaCl, a maneuver to induce TGF, NO production by the macula densa was increased by 38 ± 3% in normal-salt rats and 52 ± 6% ( P < 0.05) in the high-salt group. We found 1) macula densa cells express nNOS-α, nNOS-β, and nNOS-γ, 2) a high-salt diet enhances nNOS-β, and 3) TGF-induced NO generation from macula densa is enhanced in high-salt diet possibly from nNOS-β. In conclusion, we found that the splice variants of nNOS expressed in macula densa cells were α-, β-, and γ-isoforms and propose that enhanced level of nNOS-β during high-salt intake may contribute to macula densa NO production and help attenuate TGF.


2009 ◽  
Vol 296 (4) ◽  
pp. R994-R1000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bing S. Huang ◽  
Roselyn A. White ◽  
Arco Y. Jeng ◽  
Frans H. H. Leenen

In Dahl salt-sensitive (S) rats, high salt intake increases cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Na+ concentration ([Na+]) and blood pressure (BP). Intracerebroventricular (ICV) infusion of a mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) blocker prevents the hypertension. To assess the role of aldosterone locally produced in the brain, we evaluated the effects of chronic central blockade with the aldosterone synthase inhibitor FAD286 and the MR blocker spironolactone on changes in aldosterone and corticosterone content in the hypothalamus and the increase in CSF [Na+] and hypertension induced by high salt intake in Dahl S rats. After 4 wk of high salt intake, plasma aldosterone and corticosterone were not changed, but hypothalamic aldosterone increased by ∼35% and corticosterone tended to increase in Dahl S rats, whereas both steroids decreased by ∼65% in Dahl salt-resistant rats. In Dahl S rats fed the high-salt diet, ICV infusion of FAD286 or spironolactone did not affect the increase in CSF [Na+]. ICV infusion of FAD286 prevented the increase in hypothalamic aldosterone and 30 mmHg of the 50-mmHg BP increase induced by high salt intake. ICV infusion of spironolactone fully prevented the salt-induced hypertension. These results suggest that, in Dahl S rats, high salt intake increases aldosterone synthesis in the hypothalamus and aldosterone acts as the main MR agonist activating central pathways contributing to salt-induced hypertension.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meina Zou ◽  
Yanrong Chen ◽  
Zongji Zheng ◽  
Shuyue Sheng ◽  
Yijie Jia ◽  
...  

High-salt intake leads to kidney damage and even limits the effectiveness of drugs. However, it is unclear whether excessive intake of salt affects renal tubular energy metabolism and the efficacy of dapagliflozin on renal function in diabetic kidney disease (DKD). In this study, we enrolled 350 DKD patients and examined the correlation between sodium level and renal function, and analyzed influencing factors. The results demonstrated that patients with macroalbuminuria have higher 24 h urinary sodium levels. After establishment of type 2 diabetes mellitus model, the animals received a high-salt diet or normal-salt diet. In the presence of high-salt diet, the renal fibrosis was aggravated with fatty acid metabolism dysregulation. Furthermore, Na+/K+-ATPase expression was up-regulated in the renal tubules of diabetic mice, while the fatty acid metabolism was improved by inhibiting Na+/K+-ATPase of renal tubular epithelial cells. Of note, the administration with dapagliflozin improved renal fibrosis and enhanced fatty acid metabolism. But high salt weakened the above-mentioned renal protective effects of dapagliflozin in DKD. Similar results were recapitulated in vitro after incubating proximal tubular epithelial cells in high-glucose and high-salt medium. In conclusion, our results indicate that high salt can lead to fatty acid metabolism disorders by increasing Na+/K+-ATPase expression in the renal tubules of DKD. High salt intake diminishes the reno-protective effect of dapagliflozin in DKD.


2008 ◽  
Vol 294 (4) ◽  
pp. R1227-R1233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen J. Gibson ◽  
Amanda C. Boyce ◽  
Clare L. Thomson ◽  
Sarah Chinchen ◽  
Eugenie R. Lumbers

The effects of high salt intake on blood pressure and renal function were studied in nine subtotally nephrectomized pregnant ewes (STNxP) and seven intact pregnant ewes (IntP) in late gestation and in eight subtotally nephrectomized nonpregnant ewes (STNxNP) and seven intact nonpregnant ewes (IntNP). STNxP had higher mean arterial pressures ( P < 0.02) and plasma creatinine levels ( P < 0.001) than IntP. High salt (0.17 M NaCl as drinking water for 5 days) did not change blood pressure in either STNxP or IntP. STNxNP had higher mean arterial pressures ( P = 0.03) and plasma creatinine levels ( P < 0.001) than IntNP. In STNxNP, blood pressure increased with high salt intake and there was a positive relationship between diastolic pressure and sodium balance ( r = 0.497, P = 0.05). This relationship was not present in IntNP, STNxP, or IntP. Because high salt intake did not cause an increase in blood pressure in STNxP, it is concluded that they were protected by pregnancy from further rises in blood pressure. The observed increase in glomerular filtration rate ( P < 0.03) and depression of fractional proximal sodium reabsorption ( P = 0.003) that occurred in STNxP, but not in STNxNP, in response to high salt may have contributed to this protection. As well, the increased production of vasorelaxants in pregnancy may selectively protect against the occurrence of salt-sensitive hypertension in pregnancy.


2006 ◽  
Vol 290 (3) ◽  
pp. R553-R559 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paolo Manunta ◽  
Bruce P. Hamilton ◽  
John M. Hamlyn

High-salt diets elevate circulating Na+ pump inhibitors, vascular resistance, and blood pressure. Ouabain induces a form of hypertension mediated via the α2-Na+ pump isoform and the calcium influx mode of the vascular sodium calcium exchanger (NCX). Whereas elevated levels of an endogenous ouabain (EO) and NCX have been implicated in salt-sensitive hypertension, acute changes in sodium balance do not affect plasma EO. This study investigated the impact of longer-term alterations in sodium balance on the circulating levels and renal clearance of EO in normal humans. Thirteen normal men consumed a normal diet, high-salt diet, and hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), each for 5-day periods to alter sodium balance. EO and other humoral and urinary variables were determined daily. On a normal diet, urinary sodium excretion (140 ± 16 meq/day), plasma EO (0.43 ± 0.08 nmol/l) and urinary EO excretion (1.04 ± 0.13 nmol/day) were at steady state. On the 3rd day of a high-salt diet, urine sodium excretion (315 ± 28 meq/day), plasma EO (5.8 ± 2.2 nmol/l), and the urinary EO excretion (1.69 ± 0.27 nmol/day) were significantly increased, while plasma renin activity and aldosterone levels were suppressed. The salt-evoked increase in plasma EO was greater in older individuals, in subjects whose baseline circulating EO was higher, and in those with low renal clearance. During HCTZ, body weight decreased and plasma renin activity, aldosterone, and EO (1.71 ± 0.77 nmol/l) rose, while urinary EO excretion remained within the normal range (1.44 ± 0.31 nmol/day). Blood pressure fell in one subject during HCTZ. HPLC of the plasma extracts showed one primary peak of EO immunoreactivity with a retention time equivalent to ouabain. High-salt diets and HCTZ raise plasma EO by stimulating EO secretion, and a J-shaped curve relates sodium balance and EO in healthy men. Under normal dietary conditions, ∼98% of the filtered load of EO is reabsorbed by the kidney, and differences in the circulating levels of EO are strongly influenced by secretion and urinary excretion of EO. The dramatic impact of high-salt diets on plasma EO is consistent with its proposed role as a humoral vasoconstrictor that links salt intake with vascular function in hypertension.


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