Sexual dimorphism in angiotensin II-induced hypertension and vascular alterations

2005 ◽  
Vol 83 (5) ◽  
pp. 413-422 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Tatchum-Talom ◽  
K M Eyster ◽  
D S Martin

Sex differences in the degree of high blood pressure have been described in several forms of experimental animal models of hypertension. However, the influence of sex on angiotensin II-induced hypertension has not been studied. In the present study, we investigated and compared the effects of chronic angiotensin II treatment on blood pressure and vascular function in male and female rats. Chronic treatment with angiotensin II (0.7 mg/kg daily for 10 d) significantly raised arterial blood pressure in male but not female Sprague–Dawley rats; it upregulated the NAD(P)H oxidase gp67 phox subunit in the aorta of male but not female rats; and it exaggerated the vasoconstrictor responses to norepinephrine and serotonin in the mesenteric vascular bed (MVB) of male but not female rats. Vasodilator responses to acetylcholine (ACh) but not papaverine (PPV) or isoprenaline (ISO) were reduced in the MVB of angiotensin II-treated male but not female rats. ACh, but not PPV or ISO dilatory responses were potentiated in the MVB of angiotensin II-treated female rats. The present findings demonstrate that exogenous angiotensin II upregulates aortic NAD(P)H oxidase gp67 phox subunit, and induces hypertension and mesenteric vascular dysfunction only in male rats.Key words: gender, blood pressure, vascular endothelium, angiotensin II hypertension.

2008 ◽  
Vol 295 (5) ◽  
pp. R1546-R1554 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa Li ◽  
Xiaoling Dai ◽  
Stephanie Watts ◽  
David Kreulen ◽  
Gregory Fink

Endothelin (ET) type B receptors (ETBR) are expressed in multiple tissues and perform different functions depending on their location. ETBR mediate endothelium-dependent vasodilation, clearance of circulating ET, and diuretic effects; all of these should produce a fall in arterial blood pressure. However, we recently showed that chronic activation of ETBR in rats with the selective agonist sarafotoxin 6c (S6c) causes sustained hypertension. We have proposed that one mechanism of this effect is constriction of capacitance vessels. The current study was performed to determine whether S6c hypertension is caused by increased generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and/or activation of the sympathetic nervous system. The model used was continuous 5-day infusion of S6c into male Sprague-Dawley rats. No changes in superoxide anion levels in arteries and veins were found in hypertensive S6c-treated rats. However, superoxide levels were increased in sympathetic ganglia from S6c-treated rats. In addition, superoxide levels in ganglia increased progressively the longer the animals received S6c. Treatment with the antioxidant tempol impaired S6c-induced hypertension and decreased superoxide levels in ganglia. Acute ganglion blockade lowered blood pressure more in S6c-treated rats than in vehicle-treated rats. Although plasma norepinephrine levels were not increased in S6c hypertension, surgical ablation of the celiac ganglion plexus, which provides most of the sympathetic innervation to the splanchnic organs, significantly attenuated hypertension development. The results suggest that S6c-induced hypertension is partially mediated by sympathoexcitation to the splanchnic organs driven by increased oxidative stress in prevertebral sympathetic ganglia.


2011 ◽  
Vol 89 (4) ◽  
pp. 295-304 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.K. Oloyo ◽  
O.A. Sofola ◽  
C.N. Anigbogu

The effect of sex hormones on vascular reactivity is considered one of the underlying factors contributing to gender differences in cardiovascular functions and diseases. Experiments were designed to investigate the role of androgens in salt-induced hypertension by assessing the relaxation response of isolated aortic rings to acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside in the presence or absence of l-nitroarginine methyl ester in Sprague–Dawley rats. The rats were either orchidectomized or sham-operated, with or without testosterone replacement, and were placed on a normal or high-salt diet for 6 weeks. The results indicate a significant increase (p < 0.001) in the mean arterial blood pressure of rats on the high-salt diet, when compared with control or orchidectomized rats. Orchidectomy elicited a reduction in mean arterial blood pressure (p < 0.01), while testosterone replacement normalized mean arterial blood pressure to values seen in intact rats on the high-salt diet. The high-salt diet reduced the relaxation response to acetylcholine both in the presence and absence of inhibition of endothelial nitric oxide synthase with l-nitroarginine methyl ester. Bilateral orchidectomy attenuated the impaired endothelial function induced by the high-salt diet in rats, but this was reversed by concomitant administration of testosterone, suggesting a role for androgens in enhancing long-term vascular smooth muscle tone and hence maintenance of high blood pressure in salt-induced hypertension.


1985 ◽  
Vol 59 (5) ◽  
pp. 1410-1415 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. D. Marcus ◽  
C. M. Tipton

The influence of endurance training on functional capacity [maximal O2 consumption (VO2 max)], caudal arterial blood pressure, and myocardial capillary density were investigated in normotensive rats and rats made hypertensive using the two-kidney one-clip approach (Goldblatt's hypertension). Male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to sham (N: 120–140 mmHg), moderately hypertensive (MH = 0.30-mm clips, 150–170 mmHg), or severely hypertensive (SH = 0.25-mm clips, 190–230 mmHg) groups. Rats designated to be runners (T) were exercised on a motor-driven treadmill equal to 50–70% of their VO2 max values for 8–12 wk. Compared with their nontrained (NT) controls, training was associated with significantly higher VO2 max values (12–15%) and muscle cytochrome-c oxidase activities (33–78%). Resting systolic blood pressure was not significantly changed in the N-and MH-T subgroups; however, it was 20–30 mmHg higher in the SH-T subgroup. Mean absolute heart weight for only the N-T group was significantly heavier than their NT controls. However, the mean predicted heart weights (heart wt = 0.639 X body wt of N-NT + 0.001 g) of the two SH groups were significantly higher than expected. The SH-T group had a lower (11%) subepicardial capillary density mean than its NT control and significantly fewer capillaries in the subendocardial region than the other five subgroups. It was concluded that moderate exercise training appeared to be detrimental to rats with severe hypertension because it increased resting blood pressure and decreased myocardial capillary density, even though it improved their functioning capacity.


2006 ◽  
Vol 291 (1) ◽  
pp. F49-F57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Swasti Tiwari ◽  
Randall K. Packer ◽  
Xinqun Hu ◽  
Yoshihisa Sugimura ◽  
Joseph G. Verbalis ◽  
...  

Previously, we demonstrated that rats undergoing vasopressin escape had increased mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), plasma and urine aldosterone, and increased renal protein abundance of the α-subunit of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC), the thiazide-sensitive Na-Cl cotransporter (NCC), and the 70-kDa band of γ-ENaC (Song J, Hu X, Khan O, Tian Y, Verbalis JG, and Ecelbarger CA. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 287: F1076–F1083, 2004; Ecelbarger CA, Knepper MA, and Verbalis JG. J Am Soc Nephrol 12: 207–217, 2001). Here, we determine whether changes in these renal proteins and MAP require elevated aldosterone levels. We performed adrenalectomies (ADX) or sham surgeries on male Sprague-Dawley rats. Corticosterone and aldosterone were replaced to clamp these hormone levels. MAP was monitored by radiotelemetry. Rats were infused with 1-deamino-[8-d-arginine]-vasopressin (dDAVP) via osmotic minipumps (5 ng/h). At day 3 of dDAVP infusion, seven rats in each group were offered a liquid diet [water load (WL)] or continued on a solid diet (SD). Plasma aldosterone and corticosterone and urine aldosterone were increased by WL in sham rats. ADX-WL rats escaped, as assessed by early natriuresis followed by diuresis; however, urine volume and natriuresis were somewhat blunted. WL did not reduce the abundance or activity of 11-β-hydroxsteroid dehydrogenase type 2. Furthermore, the previously observed increase in renal aldosterone-sensitive proteins and escape-associated increased MAP persisted in clamped rats. The densitometry of immunoblots for NCC, α- and γ-70 kDa ENaC, respectively, were (% sham-SD): sham-WL, 159, 278, 233; ADX-SD, 69, 212, 171; ADX-WL, 116, 302, 161. However, clamping corticosteroids blunted the rise at least for NCC and γ-ENaC (70 kDa). Overall, the increase in aldosterone observed in vasopressin escape is not necessary for the increased expression of NCC, α- or γ-ENaC or increased MAP associated with “escape.”


2020 ◽  
Vol 319 (2) ◽  
pp. F192-F201
Author(s):  
Lindsey A. Ramirez ◽  
Ellen E. Gillis ◽  
Jacqueline B. Musall ◽  
Riyaz Mohamed ◽  
Elizabeth Snyder ◽  
...  

We have previously shown that hypertensive female rats have more regulatory T cells (Tregs), which contribute more to blood pressure (BP) control in female versus male rats. Based on known protective properties of Tregs, the goal of the present study was to investigate the mechanisms by which female rats maintain Tregs. The present study was designed to 1) compare the impact of three hypertension models on the percentage of renal Tregs and 2) test the hypothesis that nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibition prevents increases in renal Tregs and exacerbates renal damage in female Sprague-Dawley rats. Rats (11–14 wk old) were randomized to one of the following four groups: control, norepinephrine (NE) infusion, angiotensin II infusion, or the NOS inhibitor Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME) in drinking water. BP was measured via tail cuff. After 2 wk of treatment, kidneys were isolated and processed to measure Tregs via flow cytometric analysis and renal injury via urinary albumin excretion, plasma creatinine, and histological analyses. Hypertensive treatments increased BP in all experimental animals. Increases in BP in norepinephrine-and angiotensin II-treated rats were associated with increases in renal Tregs versus control. In contrast, l-NAME treatment decreased Tregs compared with all groups. l-NAME treatment modestly increased albumin excretion. However, plasma creatinine was comparable among the groups, and there was no histological evidence of glomerular or tubular injury. This study provides insights into the mechanisms regulating renal Tregs and supports that an intact NOS system is crucial for female rats to have BP-related increases in renal Tregs.


1981 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 282-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. L. Wiegman ◽  
P. D. Harris ◽  
I. G. Joshua ◽  
F. N. Miller

Twenty Sprague-Dawley rats (230 +/- 9 g; mean +/- SE) were exercised daily for 6 wk by swimming 1 h/day with weights (5% of body wt) attached to their tails. Nineteen additional rats (237 +/- 8 g) remained sedentary in their cages. All animals were anesthetized with urethan (800 mg/kg) and alpha-chloralose (60 mg/kg). In the first series of experiments, increasing doses of norepinephrine were injected into the jugular vein and the responses in mean arterial blood pressure was recorded from a cannulated femoral artery. Exercise training had no effect on the maximal increase in blood pressure, but significantly decreased blood pressure sensitivity to norepinephrine, expressed as a pD2 value (=-log ED 50), from 5.64 +/- 0.07 to 5.20 +/- 0.06. In the second series, the cremaster muscle with intact circulation and innervation was suspended in a tissue bath and norepinephrine in increasing concentrations was added to the cremaster bath. The responses of the main arteriole (approximately 110 micron) and venule (approximately 170 micron) were recorded by television microscopy. Exercise training had no effect on vessel diameters of resting muscle or on the maximal vessel constrictions obtained in response to high concentrations of norepinephrine. Arteriole sensitivity to norepinephrine was significantly decreased (pD2 of 6.69 +/- 0.24 vs. 5.96 +/- 0.18) and there was some tendency for reduced venule sensitivity. These data suggest that exercise training in rats produces a decrease in alpha- or an increase in beta-adrenergic receptor sensitivity.


2016 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 568-583 ◽  
Author(s):  
Palma Ann Marone ◽  
Jan Trampota ◽  
Steven Weisman

l-(+) Ergothioneine is a naturally occurring thiol amino acid with antioxidant properties and potential benefits as a dietary supplement. Despite its century-old identification and wide distribution in human food, little is known of its mechanism of action and safety. The nature-identical biomimetic of l-(+) ergothioneine, produced by Mironova Labs and supplied as Mironova (EGT+), has been investigated in the present studies for its mutagenic and toxicologic potential. In a plate incorporation and preincubation assay with Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98, 100, 1,535, and 1,537 and Escherichia coli WP2uvrA strain, at dose concentrations of 1.58, 5, 15.8, 50, 158, 500, 1,580, and 5,000 μg/plate with and without metabolic activation, no cytotoxicity or mutagenicity was observed. Following a preliminary 28-day study, a repeated dose 90-day gavage study at dose levels of 0, 400, 800, and 1,600 mg/kg body weight (bw)/d in Sprague Dawley rats, in which dose-proportional systemic absorption was confirmed by plasma analysis, no adverse clinical, body weight/gain, food consumption and efficiency, clinical pathology, or histopathological changes associated with the administration of the nature-identical ergothioneine were observed. In conclusion, EGT+ administered over 90 days was well tolerated with a no adverse effect level at 1,600 mg/kg bw/d, the highest dose tested for male and female rats. In addition, the nature-identical test substance, EGT+ was not mutagenic in a bacterial reverse mutation assay at plate concentrations of up to 5,000 μg/mL in the presence or absence of metabolic activation.


2001 ◽  
Vol 90 (3) ◽  
pp. 795-803 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Armour ◽  
Karel Tyml ◽  
Darcy Lidington ◽  
John X. Wilson

Septic patients have low plasma ascorbate concentrations and compromised microvascular perfusion. The purpose of the present experiments was to determine whether ascorbate improves capillary function in volume-resuscitated sepsis. Cecal ligation and perforation (CLP) was performed on male Sprague-Dawley rats. The concentration of ascorbate in plasma and urine, mean arterial blood pressure, and density of continuously perfused capillaries in the extensor digitorum longus muscle were measured 24 h after surgery. CLP caused a 50% decrease (from 56 ± 4 to 29 ± 2 μM) in plasma ascorbate concentration, 1,000% increase (from 46 ± 13 to 450 ± 93 μM) in urine ascorbate concentration, 20% decrease (from 115 ± 2 to 91 ± 2 mmHg) in mean arterial pressure, and 30% decrease (from 24 ± 1 to 17 ± 1 capillaries/mm) in the density of perfused capillaries, compared with time-matched controls. A bolus of intravenous ascorbate (7.6 mg/100 g body wt) administered immediately after the CLP procedure increased plasma ascorbate concentration and restored both blood pressure and density of perfused capillaries to control levels. In vitro experiments showed that ascorbate (100 μM) inhibited replication of bacteria and prevented hydrogen peroxide injury to cultured microvascular endothelial cells. These results indicate that ascorbate is lost in the urine during sepsis and that a bolus of ascorbate can prevent microvascular dysfunction in the skeletal muscle of septic animals. Our study supports the view that ascorbate may be beneficial for patients with septic syndrome.


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