Renalase, a novel amine oxidase, is secreted by kidney. It regulates heart function and blood pressure by degrading catecholamines. Hormones secreted by the kidney are associated with cardiovascular disease. Renalase, as a new biomarker of heart and kidney functional correlation, can lower blood pressure, protect ischemic heart muscle, improve heart function and degrade catecholamine.
Animals ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; physiopathology ; Heart Failure ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Hypertension ; physiopathology ; Monoamine Oxidase ; genetics ; physiology ; Myocardial Ischemia ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the mechanisms by which hypertension occurs in D(3) dopamine receptor null mice (D(3)-/-).

METHODSSeveral parameters, including blood pressure, renal sodium excretion, D(3) receptor protein and mRNA expression, plasma renin activity, norepinephrine concentration and AT(1) receptor expression were checked in D(3)-/- mice and their littermate wild type mice (D(3)+/+). Moreover, the vasorelaxant effect of D(3) receptor stimulation was measured with ex-vivo mesenteric artery isolated from Wistar-Kyoto rats.

RESULTSBlood pressure was higher in D(3)-/- mice compared with that in D(3)+/+ mice, salt-loading had no effect on blood pressure in both groups, at the last period, sodium excretion was lower in D(3)-/- mice as compared with D(3)+/+ mice, renal renin activity and AT(1) receptor expression were higher in D(3) -/- [corrected] mice than in D(3) +/+ [corrected] mice. In contrast, no difference of renal norepinephrine was found in two groups. When using angiotensin II subtype-1 receptor antagonist, the systolic blood pressure declined for a longer duration in mutant mice than in wild-type mice. Vaso-relaxation was found in ex-vivo isolated mesenteric artery when D(3) receptor was stimulated.

CONCLUSIONSElevation of blood pressure in D(3)-/- mice might be related with impaired renal sodium excretion and vaso-relaxation in resistance artery.

Animals ; Hypertension ; genetics ; physiopathology ; Kidney ; Mesenteric Arteries ; physiopathology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Knockout ; Rats ; Receptors, Dopamine D3 ; genetics

The aim of the studies was to investigate klotho gene effect on the endothelial dysfunction of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). In this study, ten SHR and ten normal Wistar rats, all 22 week old, were prepared. After given intraperitoneal anesthesia, the rats' brains, lungs, hearts, kidneys and aortas were removed. The identification was made by means of real-time polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) and Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Compared with the normal group, the klotho mRNA and protein in SHR were less than those in the control group with normal corresponding values, while Endothelin-1 (ET-1)'s mRNA and protein were more than those of normal group. The analysis of the correlation of mRNA and protein in heart and aorta revealed that klotho gene was negatively correlated to ET-1. The results showed that klotho significantly decreased in SHR, which might be influenced by hypertension-induced damage on the endothelial function.
Aging ; genetics ; Animals ; Endothelin-1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Endothelium, Vascular ; physiopathology ; Glucuronidase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Hypertension ; genetics ; physiopathology ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred SHR

OBJECTIVETo assess the association of tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (tag SNPs) of chymase gene (CMA1) with essential hypertension in Yi population from Yunnan, China.

METHODSA case-control study was carried out. Four tag SNPs(rs1956921, rs1800876, rs5244 and rs1885108) were genotyped in 303 patients with essential hypertension and 312 healthy controls using polymerase chain reaction - restriction fragment length polymorphism(PCR-RFLP) method.

RESULTSNo significant difference in genotypic and allelic distributions of the four polymorphisms was detected between the two groups(P>0.05), and the same results existed in the females. The frequencies of rs1956921 C allele and a C-T haplotype constructed with rs1956921 and rs5244 were greater in male patients compared with male controls(P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe rs1956921 C allele of the CMA1 gene and the C-T haplotype constructed with rs1956921 and rs5244 may be risk factors for essential hypertension in ethnic Yi males from Yunnan.

Adult ; Alleles ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; ethnology ; genetics ; Blood Pressure ; China ; ethnology ; Chymases ; genetics ; Essential Hypertension ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; ethnology ; genetics ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a clinical hemodynamic syndrome characterized by elevated pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance leading to right heart failure and death. Vascular remodeling is the most prominent histopathological feature of PAH, which is regulated by many factors. Endoplasmic reticulum stress, calcium disorder and mitochondrial dysfunction are involved in the vascular cell proliferation and apoptosis by regulating intracellular calcium homeostasis and cellular metabolism. Epigenetic phenomenon such as DNA damage and abnormal expression of miRNA are also involved in the regulation of abnormal proliferation of vascular cells. Vascular cell phenotype switching including endothelial-mesenchymal transition and smooth muscle cell phenotype switching play an important role in abnormal proliferation of vascular cells. Vascular remodeling is produced by a variety of cells and molecular pathways, and aiming at multiple targets which is expected to find a new breakthrough in the treatment of PAH,and to improve abnormal vascular remodeling, delay or even reverse the progression of PAH.
Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; physiopathology ; MicroRNAs ; genetics ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; pathology ; Pulmonary Artery ; pathology ; Vascular Remodeling ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) on pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular remodeling in neonatal rats with hypoxic pulmonary hypertension (HPH).

METHODSA total of 128 Wistar neonatal rats were randomly divided into HPH model and blank control groups. According to the transfection solution, the HPH model group was further divided into normal saline group, empty virus group (viral vectors marked with a green fluorescent signal and not carrying the target gene), and virus+HSP70 group (viral vectors marked with a green fluorescent signal and carrying the target gene). The HPH model was established by inhalation of nitrogen-oxygen mixture (1.5 L/minutes and 8% oxygen). Pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) and the indicators of pulmonary vascular remodeling (MT% and MA%) were measured on days 3, 7, 10, and 14 of hypoxia.

RESULTSOn days 3, 7, and 10 of hypoxia, the normal saline and empty virus groups had significantly enhanced expression of HSP70 compared with the blank control group (P<0.01), and the virus+HSP70 group had significantly higher expression of HSP70 than the blank control, normal saline, and empty virus groups (P<0.01). On day 14 of hypoxia, the expression of HSP70 showed no significant difference between these groups (P>0.05). On days 3, 7, and 10 of hypoxia, the normal saline and empty virus groups showed continuous increases in mPAP compared with the blank control group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in mPAP between the virus+HSP70 and blank control groups (P>0.05). On day 14 of hypoxia, there was no significant difference in mPAP among three subgroups of the HPH model group (P>0.05), but the mPAP in the three subgroups was significantly higher than in the blank control group (P<0.05). After 7 days of hypoxia, the normal saline and empty virus groups showed significantly higher MT% and MA% than the blank control group (P<0.05), but the two indicators showed no significant differences between the virus+HSP70 and the blank control groups (P>0.05). On day 14 of hypoxia, there were no significant differences in MT% and MA% among three subgroups of the HPH model group (P>0.05), but the MT% and MA% in the three subgroups were higher than in the blank control group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSHSP70 may reduce pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular remodeling in neonatal rats with HPH.

Animals ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; cerebrospinal fluid ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Hypoxia ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Oxygen ; metabolism ; Pulmonary Artery ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Vascular Remodeling

OBJECTIVETo compare the plasma proteome among male normotensive, prehypertensive, and hypertensive subjects.

METHODSPlasma proteome was analyzed by two-dimensional electrophoresis combined with MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry in this case-control study among well matched male normotensive, prehypertensive and hypertensive subjects (n = 26 each).

RESULTSThe results showed that there were 22 differentially expressed protein spots among the protein samples derived from the 3 groups which corresponded to 18 proteins associated with inflammation and immunity, lipid metabolism, transport, coagulation and fibrinolysis, cell proliferation and apoptosis, and antioxidation.

CONCLUSIONProteins were differentially expressed in male subjects with various blood pressure levels.

Adult ; Blood Pressure ; Case-Control Studies ; Humans ; Hypertension ; genetics ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prehypertension ; genetics ; physiopathology ; Proteomics ; Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization

The present study was to investigate the mRNA, protein expression and the activity of calcineurin in the hypertrophic heart, and to determine the effect of calcineurin inhibitor--cyclosporine A (CsA) on the regression of cardiac hypertrophy in renovascular hypertensive rats. Renovascular hypertension was induced by two kidney-one clip methods. Two months after the operation, cardiac hypertrophy was determined by histological analysis performed in some rats (2K1C-2M), then the rats were subdivided into 2 groups: (1) 3-month old two kidney-one clip group (2K1C-3M) with rats receiving 0.9% NaCl per day for one month, and (2) CsA-treated group with rats treated with CsA for one month. Sham-operated rats were used as control. The ratio of the left ventricular weight to tibial length (LVW/TL), the area of cardiac myocyte, mRNA and protein expression and the activity of calcineurin were determined. Both the LVW/TL and the cardiomyocyte area were significantly larger in 2K1C-2M and 2K1C-3M rats than in age-matched sham-operated rats. Treatment with CsA significantly attenuated the increase in the LVW/TL as well as the cardiomyocyte area. The mRNA, protein expression and the activity of calcineurin were significantly higher in 2K1C-2M and 2K1C-3M rats than those in the age-matched sham-operated rats, while the elevation of mRNA, protein expression and activity of calcineurin were significantly suppressed in the CsA-treated rats. In conclusion, calcineurin plays a role in the progression of cardiac hypertrophy in renovascular hypertensive rats. The inhibition of calcineurin can reverse cardiac hypertrophy.
Animals ; Calcineurin ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cyclosporine ; pharmacology ; Hypertension, Renovascular ; complications ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; etiology ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of adenoviral-mediated exogenous HGF (Ad-HGF) gene transfer on lung angiogenesis in the rabbit lung in rabbits with hyperkinetic pulmonary artery hypertension.

METHODSA thoracotomy was performed through a midsternal incision in 1-month-old immature rabbit and an anastomosis between the left innominate artery and the pulmonary trunk was made to establish a chronic patent left to right shunt. Three months later, animals were randomly assigned to receive either Ad-HGF (2 x 10(9) Pfu in 0.2 ml PBS, H1 group), repeated administration of Ad-HGF after one week (H 2 group), Ad-GFP (2 x 10(9) Pfu in 0.2 ml PBS, G group), or PBS (0.2 ml, C group) by the intratracheal method of gene transfection. After two weeks, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemical examination was performed to identify HGF mRNA and HGF protein expression. The capillary density and small pulmonary artery density were determined by immunostained with antibodies against factor VIII and alpha-SMA. After 1 month, the collateral vessels were evaluated by angiogram under digital subtraction angiography (DSA).

RESULTSTwo weeks after Ad-HGF transfection, 484 bp bands could be found by RT-PCR in H1 and H2 groups, but not in other groups. The expression of HGF protein could be detected on alveolar epithelium and pulmonary vessel endothelium by immunohistochemistry examination. The number of factor VIII-positive pulmonary capillaries was also significantly increased in the H1 and H2 groups compared with the C and G groups (P < 0.05). The capillary density reached (17.0 +/- 3.3) mm(2) and (19.7 +/- 2.8) mm(2) in the H1 and H2 group, respectively, whereas it remained (13.2 +/- 3.2) mm(2) in the C group and (13.5 +/- 2.4) mm(2) in the G group (P < 0.05). One month after Ad-HGF transfection, the number of small pulmonary arteries was significantly increased in H1 and H2 group compared with control groups (P < 0.05). The collateral vessels were more abundant in HGF transfection groups than that in the two control groups reviewed by angiogram under digital subtraction angiography (DSA).

CONCLUSIONIn vivo gene transfection with HGF by means of the intra-tracheal injection could induce pulmonary angiogenesis in the early stage and small pulmonary arterial angiogenesis in later stage.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Hepatocyte Growth Factor ; genetics ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; physiopathology ; Lung ; blood supply ; Male ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; Rabbits ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo explore the elastic lamina degradation and the collagen remodeling of aortic artery as well as oxides stress and inflammation of the apolipoprotein (Apo E) deficient mice with or without experimental hypertension.

METHODSEighty male Apo E deficient mice were fed with high-fat diet beginning at six weeks of age. At 8-week old, they were randomly divided into hypertension group and control group (n=40 each), the mice in hypertension group were subjected the suprarenal aortic constriction operation and then randomly divided into two subgroups: 15 weeks age and 30 weeks age groups. At the end of experiment, the vascular elastic lamina degradation and the content of collagen were determined by morphological method, plasma ICAM-1 level was measured by ELISA, and the rennin activity measured by radioimmunoassay, the superoxide anion detected by fluorescence, the MOMA-2 observed by immunofluorescence in all animals. mRNA expression of NF-κB P65 and MMP9 was detected by real-time PCR.

RESULTIn 15-week old group, the elastic lamina degradation Grade II and the intima-media thickness in the hypertension group were significantly higher than in the control group [(5.4±3.3)% vs. (8.9±2.5)%, P<0.05; (98.66±18.90) µm vs. (70.08±11.71) µm, P<0.05]. In 30-week old group, the elastic lamina degradation Grade III, the III type of collagen and the intima-media thickness were also significantly higher than in the control group [(15.2±3.7)% vs. (8.1±3.3)%, P<0.01; (23.00±7.73)% vs. (11.00±3.82)%, P<0.05; (147.31±22.60) µm vs. (103.98±17.21) µm, P<0.01]. The level of ICAM-1 in hypertension group was significantly higher than that of control group in both 15-week old and in 30-week old mice [(46.3±3.7) µg/ml vs. (40.6±5.7) µg/ml, P<0.05; (56.0±3.1) µg/ml vs. (45.2±2.8) µg/ml, P<0.05]. The superoxide anion, the MOMA-2, mRNA expression of NF-κB P65 and MMP9 in the hypertension group were significantly higher than in the control group in both 15-week old and in the 30-week old mice. The increase in hypertension group was more pronounced in the 30-week old mice than in the 15-week old mice.

CONCLUSIONThe elastic lamina degradation and the collagen remodeling of aortic artery as well as oxides stress and inflammation are more significant in the Apo E deficient mice with hypertension than in control Apo E deficient mice.

Animals ; Aorta ; physiopathology ; Apolipoproteins E ; genetics ; Collagen ; metabolism ; Hypertension ; metabolism ; pathology ; Inflammation ; pathology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Knockout ; Oxidative Stress