Hemodynamic and biochemical effects of endothelin-A- and -B-receptor antagonist TAK-044 in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats.

We have demonstrated previously that endothelin-1 (ET-1) mRNA expression is increased in hypertensive rats. The aim of the study reported here was to elucidate the effects of the endothelin (ET) receptor antagonist on the hemodynamic and biochemical parameters in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSPs/Izm). The endothelin-A- and -B- (ETA/ETB) receptor antagonist (TAK-044, Takeda Chemical Industries, Osaka, Japan) was administered subcutaneously at a dose of 10 mg/kg/day from the age of 8 weeks for 4 weeks. Blood samples and tissues of the kidney, heart and brain were obtained at the age of 12 weeks. Tissue expression of ET-1 mRNA was determined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) followed by Southern blot analysis. Treatment with TAK-044 resulted in a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure (SBP), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine concentration, plasma aldosterone level, heart weight, and kidney weight. In addition, ET-1 contents and mRNA expression level in the kidney, heart and brain were significantly decreased by the treatment with TAK-044. These results suggest that the ET receptor antagonist TAK-044 is able to attenuate ET-1 gene expression in addition to its specific antagonism of the biological actions of ET via the receptors.