scholarly journals Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Downregulation of Urocortin Expression in the Hypothalamo-Neurohypophysial System of Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Martin ◽  
Andre S. Mecawi ◽  
Vagner R. Antunes ◽  
Song T. Yao ◽  
Jose Antunes-Rodrigues ◽  
...  

The chronically increased blood pressure characteristic of essential hypertension represents an insidious and cumulative risk for cardiovascular disease. Essential hypertension is a multifactorial condition, with no known specific aetiology but a strong genetic component. The Spontaneously Hypertensive rat (SHR) shares many characteristics of human essential hypertension, and as such is a commonly used experimental model. The mammalian hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal system (HNS) plays a pivotal role in the regulation of blood pressure, volume and osmolality. In order to better understand the possible role of the HNS in hypertension, we have used microarray analysis to reveal differential regulation of genes in the HNS of the SHR compared to a control normotensive strain, the Wistar Kyoto rat (WKY). These results were validated by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). One of the genes identified and validated as being downregulated in SHR compared to WKY was that encoding the neuropeptide urocortin (Ucn). Immunohistochemical analyses revealed Ucn to be highly expressed within magnocellular neurons of the PVN and SON, with pronounced localisation in dendritic projections containing oxytocin and vasopressin. When Ucn was overexpressed in the PVN of the SHR by in vivo lentiviral mediated gene transfer, blood pressure was unaffected but there were significant, transient reductions in the VLF spectra of systolic blood pressure consistent with an action on autonomic balance. We suggest that Ucn may act, possibly via dendritic release, to subtly regulate neurohumoral aspects of arterial pressure control.

2011 ◽  
Vol 300 (6) ◽  
pp. H1990-H1996 ◽  
Author(s):  
Houli Jiang ◽  
John Quilley ◽  
Anabel B. Doumad ◽  
Angela G. Zhu ◽  
John R. Falck ◽  
...  

Epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) are vasodilator, natriuretic, and antiinflammatory lipid mediators. Both cis- and trans-EETs are stored in phospholipids and in red blood cells (RBCs) in the circulation; the maximal velocity ( Vmax) of trans-EET hydrolysis by soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) is threefold that of cis-EETs. Because RBCs of the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) exhibit increased sEH activity, a deficiency of trans-EETs in the SHR was hypothesized to increase blood pressure (BP). This prediction was fulfilled, since sEH inhibition with cis-4-[4-(3-adamantan-1-ylureido)cyclohexyloxy]benzoic acid (AUCB; 2 mg·kg−1·day−1 for 7 days) in the SHR reduced mean BP from 176 ± 8 to 153 ± 5 mmHg ( P < 0.05), whereas BP in the control Wistar-Kyoto rat (WKY) was unaffected. Plasma levels of EETs in the SHR were lower than in the age-matched control WKY (16.4 ± 1.6 vs. 26.1 ± 1.8 ng/ml; P < 0.05). The decrease in BP in the SHR treated with AUCB was associated with an increase in plasma EETs, which was mostly accounted for by increasing trans-EET from 4.1 ± 0.2 to 7.9 ± 1.5 ng/ml ( P < 0.05). Consistent with the effect of increased plasma trans-EETs and reduced BP in the SHR, the 14,15- trans-EET was more potent (ED50 10−10 M; maximum dilation 59 ± 15 μm) than the cis-isomer (ED50 10−9 M; maximum dilation 30 ± 11 μm) in relaxing rat preconstricted arcuate arteries. The 11,12-EET cis- and trans-isomers were equipotent dilators as were the 8,9-EET isomers. In summary, inhibition of sEH resulted in a twofold increase in plasma trans-EETs and reduced mean BP in the SHR. The greater vasodilator potency of trans- vs. cis-EETs may contribute to the antihypertensive effects of sEH inhibitors.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
George Lindesay ◽  
Yvonnick Bézie ◽  
Christophe Ragonnet ◽  
Véronique Duchatelle ◽  
Marc Isabelle ◽  
...  

The spontaneously hypertensive rat model with reduced NO synthesis (SHRLN) shares features with aging and hypertension in humans, among other a severe aortic stiffening. The present in vivo study aimed to compare thoracic (TA) and abdominal (AA) aortic stiffness in the SHRLN (treated 5 weeks with L-NAME), SHR, and normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY). Dynamic properties of TA and AA were measured in the same rats, using echotracking recording of aortic diameter coupled with blood pressure (BP). Measurements were performed first at operating BP and then after BP reduction in hypertensive rats, thus in isobaric conditions. Histological staining and immunohistochemistry were used for structural analysis at both sites. At operating pressure, BP and pulse pressure (PP) were higher in SHRLN compared with SHR. Stiffness index was also increased and distensibility decreased in both TA and AA in SHRLN. At WKY-matched blood pressure, isobaric AA parameters remained specifically altered in SHRLN, whereas TA recovered to values identical to WKYs. Collagen, fibronectin, α5-selectin, and FAK were increased in SHRLN compared with SHR or WKY. Nevertheless, only the strong accumulations of fibronectin and collagen at the AA site in SHRLN were associated with intrinsic stiffening. In conclusion, we confirm that NO restriction associated with hypertension induces a severe pathological phenotype and shows that L-NAME induced stiffening is more pronounced in AA than in TA as a result of greater fibrosis.


1987 ◽  
Vol 253 (4) ◽  
pp. H909-H918 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. K. Jackson

The purpose of this study was to compare the in vivo role of adenosine as a modulator of noradrenergic neurotransmission in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) and Wistar-Kyoto control rat (WKY). In the in situ blood-perfused rat mesentery, vascular responses to periarterial (sympathetic) nerve stimulation (PNS) and to exogenous norepinephrine (NE) were enhanced in SHR compared with WKY. In both SHR and WKY, vascular responses to PNS were more sensitive to inhibition by adenosine than were responses to NE. At matched base-line vascular responses, compared with WKY, SHR were less sensitive to the inhibitory effects of adenosine on vascular responses to PNS, but SHR and WKY were equally sensitive with respect to adenosine-induced inhibition of responses to NE. Antagonism of adenosine receptors with 1,3-dipropyl-8-p-sulfophenylxanthine shifted the dose-response curve to exogenous adenosine sixfold to the right yet did not influence vascular responses to PNS or NE in either SHR or WKY. Furthermore, PNS did not alter either arterial or mesenteric venous plasma levels of adenosine in SHR or WKY, and plasma levels of adenosine in both strains were always lower than the calculated threshold level required to attenuate neurotransmission. It is concluded that in vivo 1) exogenous adenosine interferes with noradrenergic neurotransmission in both SHR and WKY; 2) SHR are less sensitive to the inhibitory effects of exogenous adenosine on noradrenergic neurotransmission than are WKY; 3) endogenous adenosine does not play a role in modulating neurotransmission in either strain under the conditions of this study; and 4) enhanced noradrenergic neurotransmission in the SHR is not due to defective modulation of neurotransmission by adenosine.


1987 ◽  
Vol 252 (3) ◽  
pp. R554-R561 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. N. Henley ◽  
A. Tucker

The mechanism by which chronic, moderate, hypobaric hypoxia attenuates systemic systolic blood pressure (SBP) in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) was investigated in a three-part study. In experiment 1, 10 wk of hypoxia (3,658 m altitude) commencing in 7-wk-old rats was partially effective in preventing the rise in SBP [hypoxic SHR (SHR-H) 154 mmHg vs. normoxic SHR (SHR-N) 180 mmHg; P less than 0.01]. When hypoxia was initiated in 5-wk-old SHR (experiments 2 and 3), protection against hypertension was nearly complete (experiment 2: SHR-H 122 mmHg vs. SHR-N 175 mmHg; P less than 0.001; experiment 3: 135 vs. 152 mmHg, respectively; P less than 0.05). Elevations in O2 consumption (VO2) and rectal temperature (Tre) in SHR vs. normotensive [Wistar-Kyoto (WKY)] rats provided evidence that the SHR is a hypermetabolic animal. Thyroid hormonal indices suggested that SHR changed from a low to high thyroid status at a time that rapid blood pressure elevation occurred; however, hypoxia did not influence thyroid status. Acute, significant decrements in VO2 and Tre in SHR-H (experiments 2 and 3) accompanied the attenuation of SBP by hypoxia, whereas large decrements in VO2 and SBP did not occur in hypoxic WKY. Timely administration of moderate hypoxia protects against the development of hypertension in the SHR. This protection may relate to a metabolic adaptation made by the hypoxic SHR.


1981 ◽  
Vol 61 (s7) ◽  
pp. 199s-202s ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Ferrari ◽  
G. B. Picotti ◽  
E. Minotti ◽  
G. P. Bondiolotti ◽  
A. M. Caravaggi ◽  
...  

1. Blood pressure was measured and plasma levels of noradrenaline and adrenaline were determined radioenzymatically under basal conditions and after 10% blood volume reduction in blood drawn through catheters previously implanted in young and adult rats of two different genetically hypertensive strains: the Kyoto strain (SHR) and the Milan strain (MHS), and in their respective controls: Wistar—Kyoto strain (WKY) and Milan normotensive strain (MNS). 2. Under basal conditions no differences were observed between plasma noradrenaline and adrenaline levels in SHR and MHS rats and in the controls, at any age. Haemorrhage produced a greater fall in the blood pressure (P &lt; 0.01) of young and adult hypertensive strains (SHR-MHS) than in WKY and MNS rats, and a greater rise in plasma adrenaline (P &lt; 0.01). 3. These results suggest that: (a) there may be differences in involvement of the sympathetic nervous system in the pathogenesis of hypertension in SHR and MHS rats but not such as to cause differences in plasma catecholamine levels in either young or adult rats; (b) haemorrhage activates the sympatho—adrenal systems more in SHR and MHS rats, than in controls, and the greater percentage fall in blood pressure is probably due to a difference in reflex venoconstriction.


2002 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 199-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adamu Alemayehu ◽  
Laura Breen ◽  
Drahomira Krenova ◽  
Morton P. Printz

Evidence exists implying multiple blood pressure quantitative trait loci (QTL) on rat chromosome 2. To examine this possibility, four congenic strains and nine substrains were developed with varying size chromosome segments introgressed from the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR/lj) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rat (WKY/lj) onto the reciprocal genetic background. Cardiovascular phenotyping was conducted with telemetry over extended periods during standard salt (0.7%) and high-salt (8%) diets. Our results are consistent with at least three independent pressor QTL: transfer of SHR/lj alleles to WKY/lj reveals pressor QTL within D2Rat21-D2Rat27 and D2Mgh10-D2Rat62, whereas transfer of WKY/lj D2Rat161-D2Mit8 to SHR/lj reveals a depressor locus. Our results also suggest a depressor QTL in SHR/lj located within D2Rat161-D2Mgh10. Introgressed WKY/lj segments also reveal a heart rate QTL within D2Rat40-D2Rat50 which abolished salt-induced bradycardia, dependent upon adjoining SHR/lj alleles. This study confirms the presence of multiple blood pressure QTL on chromosome 2. Taken together with our other studies, we conclude that rat chromosome 2 is rich in alleles for cardiovascular and behavioral traits and for coordinated coupling between behavior and cardiovascular responses.


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