scholarly journals The Interaction of Calcium Entry and Calcium Sensitization in the Control of Vascular Tone and Blood Pressure of Normotensive and Hypertensive Rats

2014 ◽  
pp. S19-S27 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. ZICHA ◽  
M. BEHULIAK ◽  
M. PINTÉROVÁ ◽  
M. BENCZE ◽  
J. KUNEŠ ◽  
...  

Increased systemic vascular resistance is responsible for blood pressure (BP) elevation in most forms of human or experimental hypertension. The enhanced contractility of structurally remodeled resistance arterioles is mediated by enhanced calcium entry (through L type voltage-dependent calcium channels – L-VDCC) and/or augmented calcium sensitization (mediated by RhoA/Rho kinase pathway). It is rather difficult to evaluate separately the role of these two pathways in BP control because BP response to the blockade of either pathway is always dependent on the concomitant activity of the complementary pathway. Moreover, vasoconstrictor systems enhance the activity of both pathways, while vasodilators attenuate them. The basal fasudil-sensitive calcium sensitization determined in rats deprived of endogenous renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and sympathetic nervous system (SNS) in which calcium entry was dose-dependently increased by L-VDCC opener BAY K8644, is smaller in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) than in normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. In contrast, if endogenous RAS and SNS were present in intact rats, fasudil caused a greater BP fall in SHR than WKY rats. Our in vivo experiments indicated that the endogenous pressor systems (RAS and SNS) augment calcium sensitization mediated by RhoA/Rho kinase pathway, whereas the endogenous vasodilator systems (such as nitric oxide) attenuate this pathway. However, the modulation of calcium entry and calcium sensitization by nitric oxide is strain-dependent because NO deficiency significantly augments low calcium entry in WKY and low calcium sensitization in SHR. Further in vivo and in vitro experiments should clarify the interrelationships between endogenous vasoactive systems and the contribution of calcium entry and/or calcium sensitization to BP maintenance in various forms of experimental hypertension.

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michal Behuliak ◽  
Michal Bencze ◽  
Ivana Vaněčková ◽  
Jaroslav Kuneš ◽  
Josef Zicha

Calcium sensitization mediated by RhoA/Rho kinase pathway can be evaluated either in the absence (basal calcium sensitization) or in the presence of endogenous vasoconstrictor systems (activated calcium sensitization). Our aim was to compare basal and activated calcium sensitization in three forms of experimental hypertension with increased sympathetic tone and enhanced calcium entry—spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), heterozygous Ren-2 transgenic rats (TGR), and salt hypertensive Dahl rats. Activated calcium sensitization was determined as blood pressure reduction induced by acute administration of Rho kinase inhibitor fasudil in conscious rats with intact sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and renin-angiotensin system (RAS). Basal calcium sensitization was studied as fasudil-dependent difference in blood pressure response to calcium channel opener BAY K8644 in rats subjected to RAS and SNS blockade. Calcium sensitization was also estimated from reduced development of isolated artery contraction by Rho kinase inhibitor Y-27632. Activated calcium sensitization was enhanced in all three hypertensive models (due to the hyperactivity of vasoconstrictor systems). In contrast, basal calcium sensitization was reduced in SHR and TGR relative to their controls, whereas it was augmented in salt-sensitive Dahl rats relative to their salt-resistant controls. Similar differences in calcium sensitization were seen in femoral arteries of SHR and Dahl rats.


2009 ◽  
Vol 107 (3) ◽  
pp. 896-902 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oktay Kuru ◽  
Ümit Kemal Şentürk ◽  
Günnur Koçer ◽  
Sadi Özdem ◽  
Oǧuz K. Başkurt ◽  
...  

Regular exercise has blood pressure-lowering effects, as shown in different types of experimental hypertension models in rats, including the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibition model. We aimed to investigate possible mechanisms implicated in the exercise effect by evaluating the vasoreactivity of resistance arteries. Exercise effects on agonist-induced vasodilatory responses and flow-mediated dilation were evaluated in vessel segments of the rat chronic NOS inhibition model. Normotensive and hypertensive rats were subjected to swimming exercise (1 h/day, 5 days/wk, 6 wk), while rats in other sedentary and hypertensive groups did not. Hypertension was induced by oral administration of the nonselective NOS inhibitor l-NAME (25 mg/kg day) for 6 wk. Systolic blood pressure, as measured by the tail-cuff method, was significantly decreased by the training protocol in exercising hypertensive rats. The vasoreactivity of resistance arteries was evaluated by both wire and pressure myography studies. An impaired nitric oxide-mediated relaxation pathway in untrained hypertensive rats led to decreased relaxation responses in vessels with intact endothelium. Exercise training significantly improved the responses to acetylcholine and flow-mediated dilation in exercise-trained hypertensive rats in parallel with a decrease in blood pressure. On the other hand contraction (norepinephrine and KCl) and relaxation (sodium nitroprusside) responses of vascular smooth muscle were not different between the groups. Vascular endothelial NOS protein expression was found to be increased in both exercising groups. In conclusion, these results revealed evidence of an increased role of the nitric oxide-dependent relaxation pathway in exercising hypertensive rats.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (8) ◽  
pp. 1253-1261
Author(s):  
Mourad Akdad ◽  
Mohamed Eddouks

Aims: The present study was performed in order to analyze the antihypertensive activity of Micromeria graeca (L.) Benth. ex Rchb. Background: Micromeria graeca (L.) Benth. ex Rchb is an aromatic and medicinal plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family. This herb is used to treat various pathologies such as cardiovascular disorders. Meanwhile, its pharmacological effects on the cardiovascular system have not been studied. Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of aqueous extract of aerial parts of Micromeria graeca (AEMG) on the cardiovascular system in normotensive and hypertensive rats. Methods: In this study, the cardiovascular effect of AEMG was evaluated using in vivo and in vitro investigations. In order to assess the acute effect of AEMG on the cardiovascular system, anesthetized L-NAME-hypertensive and normotensive rats received AEMG (100 mg/kg) orally and arterial blood pressure parameters were monitored during six hours. In the sub-chronic study, rats were orally treated for one week, followed by blood pressure assessment during one week of treatment. Blood pressure was measured using a tail-cuff and a computer-assisted monitoring device. In the second experiment, isolated rat aortic ring pre-contracted with Epinephrine (EP) or KCl was used to assess the vasorelaxant effect of AEMG. Results: Oral administration of AEMG (100 mg/kg) provoked a decrease of arterial blood pressure parameters in hypertensive rats. In addition, AEMG induced a vasorelaxant effect in thoracic aortic rings pre-contracted with EP (10 μM) or KCl (80 mM). This effect was attenuated in the presence of propranolol and methylene blue. While in the presence of glibenclamide, L-NAME, nifedipine or Indomethacin, the vasorelaxant effect was not affected. Conclusion: This study showed that Micromeria graeca possesses a potent antihypertensive effect and relaxes the vascular smooth muscle through β-adrenergic and cGMP pathways.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 2305
Author(s):  
Wan-Ju Yeh ◽  
Jung Ko ◽  
Wei-Yi Cheng ◽  
Hsin-Yi Yang

High blood pressure is a crucial risk factor for many cardiovascular diseases, and a diet rich in whole-grain foods may modulate blood pressure. This study investigated the effects of dehulled adlay consumption on blood pressure in vivo. We initially fed spontaneous hypertensive rats diets without (SHR group) or with 12 or 24% dehulled adlay (SHR + LA and SHR + HA groups), and discovered that it could limit blood pressure increases over a 12-week experimental period. Although we found no significant changes in plasma, heart, and kidney angiotensin-converting enzyme activities, both adlay-consuming groups had lower endothelin-1 and creatinine concentrations than the SHR group; the SHR + HA group also had lower aspartate aminotransferase and uric acid levels than the SHR group did. We later recruited 23 participants with overweight and obesity, and they consumed 60 g of dehulled adlay daily for a six-week experimental period. At the end of the study, we observed a significant decrease in the group’s systolic blood pressure (SBP), and the change in SBP was even more evident in participants with high baseline SBP. In conclusion, our results suggested that daily intake of dehulled adlay had beneficial effects in blood-pressure management. Future studies may further clarify the possible underlying mechanisms for the consuming of dehulled adlay as a beneficial dietary approach for people at risk of hypertension.


Author(s):  
Josef Zicha ◽  
Michal Behuliak ◽  
Anna Vavřínová ◽  
Zdenka Dobešová ◽  
Jaroslav Kuneš ◽  
...  

1988 ◽  
Vol 255 (4) ◽  
pp. H729-H735 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Sautel ◽  
J. Sacquet ◽  
M. Vincent ◽  
J. Sassard

Several indirect evidences of alterations in the central catecholaminergic structures were obtained in genetically hypertensive rats. Because they could be of pathogenetic value, we measured, in the present work, the in vivo turnover (TO) of norepinephrine (NE) in brain areas of 5- and 22-wk-old genetically hypertensive (LH) rats of the Lyon strain, and their simultaneously selected normotensive (LN) and low blood pressure (LL) controls. Among the changes observed, the increased TO of NE in the A2 and A6 regions of 5-wk-old LH rats and its decrease in the posteroventral hypothalamic nucleus of 22-wk-old LH animals appeared likely to compensate for hypertension. On the contrary, the decreased TO of NE in the anterior hypothalamic nucleus observed at 5 wk and in the A6 and A1 areas at 22 wk of age in LH rats could participate in the development or the maintenance of hypertension. Above all, it was postulated that the increased TO of NE found in the A7 region of 5-wk-old LH rats could play a primary role in the pathogenesis of hypertension in the Lyon model.


Hypertension ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 330-337 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ye-Bo Zhou ◽  
Hai-Jian Sun ◽  
Dan Chen ◽  
Tong-Yan Liu ◽  
Ying Han ◽  
...  

1995 ◽  
Vol 89 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naoyoshi Minami ◽  
Yutaka Imai ◽  
Jun-Ichiro Hashimoto ◽  
Keishi Abe

1. The aim of this study was to clarify the extent to which vascular nitric oxide contributes to basal blood pressure in conscious spontaneously hypertensive rats and normotensive Wistar Kyoto rats. 2. The contribution of vascular nitric oxide to maintenance of blood pressure was estimated by measuring the pressor response to an intravenous injection of nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, Nω-l-arginine methyl ester, given after serial injections of captopril, vasopressin V1-receptor antagonist (V1-antagonist) and ganglion blocker (pentolinium) in conscious spontaneously hypertensive and Wistar Kyoto rats aged 20–28 weeks. To estimate the ‘amplifier property’ of hypertrophied vasculature in spontaneously hypertensive rats, which is known to modulate pressor responses, the lower blood pressure plateau after serial injections of captopril, V1-antagonist and pentolinium and the maximum blood pressure elicited by subsequent injection of increasing doses of phenylephrine were also measured. 3. The serial injections of captopril, V1-antagonist and pentolinium decreased mean arterial pressure from 164 ± 9 mmHg to 67 ± 2 mmHg and from 117 ± 2 mmHg to 49 ± 1 mmHg in spontaneously hypertensive and Wistar Kyoto rats respectively. The subsequent injection of Nω-l-arginine methyl ester restored mean arterial pressure almost to its control levels in both spontaneously hypertensive and Wistar Kyoto rats. The absolute changes in mean arterial pressure elicited by Nω-l-arginine methyl ester were significantly greater in spontaneously hypertensive than in Wistar Kyoto rats (P < 0.01), but there was no significant difference in the responses to Nω-l-arginine methyl ester when they were expressed as percentages of either the lower blood pressure plateau or maximum blood pressure. 4. These results indicate that basal blood pressure in both spontaneous hypertensive and Wistar Kyoto rats is maintained by a balance between vascular nitric oxide and major pressor systems. They also suggest that the vasodilatory effect of vascular nitric oxide does not differ between spontaneously hypertensive and Wistar Kyoto rats, and that the increased pressor effect of Nω-l-arginine methyl ester in spontaneously hypertensive rats is due to a vascular amplifier mechanism.


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