Modulation of cardiac natriuretic peptide gene expression following endothelin type A receptor blockade in renovascular hypertension.

OBJECTIVE

Increased expression of the cardiac natriuretic peptides (NP), atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is observed during chronic hemodynamic overload. The mechanisms underlying this process are not fully understood. In vitro, endothelin 1 (ET-1) is a powerful stimulator of cardiac NP and, therefore, has been assumed to be one possible mediator of increased NP gene expression following chronic pressure or volume overload. In the present work we investigated the possible role of ET-1 in mediating the observed upregulation of cardiac NP in two kidney-one clip (2K-1C) Goldblatt hypertensive rats treated for 6 weeks with the ET-1 type A (ET(A)) receptor subtype receptor antagonist ABT-627.

METHODS

2K-1C hypertension was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 100-125 g by placing a silver clip (internal diameter 0.25 mm) around the left renal artery through a flank incision. The right kidney was left undisturbed. Sham operated rats underwent the same experimental procedures but no clip was placed on the left renal artery. ABT-627 was administered (10 mg/kg per day) in the drinking water for 6 weeks.

RESULTS

In hypertensive rats, ABT-627 prevented a further rise in blood pressure beginning at 3 weeks after clipping and reduced the ventricular hypertrophy observed at the end of the experiment. ET(A) blockade prevented enhanced NP gene expression in the right ventricle and partially prevented it in the left ventricle. No modifications in atrial NP gene expression were observed in either control or 2K-1C animals. ET(A) blockade decreased BNP circulating levels but did not affect ANF plasma levels in clipped rats. ABT-627 increased alpha-myosin heavy chain gene expression and decreased the abundance of the beta isoform transcript.

CONCLUSION

The results obtained in the present investigation show the participation of ET-1 in the increased expression of ventricular NP in 2K-1C renovascular hypertension and an apparent lack of effect of ET(A) blockade on atrial NP gene expression in both control and hypertensive animals thus showing that in vivo, atrial and ventricular NP gene expression are differentially regulated.