Effects of clofilium on cardiovascular tissues from normo‐ and hypertensive rats

1 The overall aim was to test whether clofilium has some potential as a positive inotrope for heart failure. We used Wistar Kyoto normotensive rats (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and studied the effects of clofilium on isolated blood vessels, left ventricular action potentials and left ventricular contractility.
2 Clofilium at ≤10^?6 m had no effect on WKY portal vein contractions and at ≤3×10?4 m had no effect on WKY or SHR quiescent mesenteric and intralobar pulmonary arteries.
3 Clofilium at 10^?7–10^?5 m prolonged the WKY left ventricular action potentials and with 10^?6 and 10^?5 m this included after‐depolarizations.
4 Clofilium at ≤3×10^?5 m augmented the peak force, prolonged the contractions and did not cause arrhythmias in the absence and presence of isoprenaline on left ventricle strips from 12‐month‐old WKY.
5 The 12‐month‐old SHR has hypertrophy of the left ventricle with reduced peak force and prolongation of relaxation. The effects of clofilium on 12‐month‐old SHR left ventricle contractility were similar to those in the age‐matched WKY. 6 In summary, clofilium has positive inotropic effects on the rat left ventricle that are maintained in hypertrophy. Clofilium does not have effects on blood vessels that would be detrimental in heart failure. Clofilium prolongs the rat left ventricle action potential and causes after‐depolarizations. The pro‐arrhythmic potential of clofilium, however, makes it unlikely that it could be used as a positive inotrope in the treatment of heart failure.     

孤束核微注射内皮素-1对高血压大鼠心血管活动的影响

目的研究内皮素－１（ＥＴ－１）在孤束核对高血压大鼠心血管活动的作用。方法乌拉坦麻醉大鼠单侧孤束核微注射ＥＴ－１或ＥＴ受体拮抗剂后，观察血压、心率、左室收缩压和±ｄｐ／ｄｔｍａｘ的变化。结果在乌拉坦麻醉的ＷＫＹ大鼠和自发性高血压大鼠（ＳＨＲ），单侧孤束核微注射１．０ｐｍｏｌ或３．３ｐｍｏｌ的ＥＴ－１均可引起血压、左室收缩压和±ｄｐ／ｄｔｍａｘ升高，呈剂量依赖性；心率轻度减慢，与剂量不相关。血压持续升高９０ｍｉｎ以上。ＳＨＲ的心血管反应强度与ＷＫＹ大鼠无显著差异。孤束核微注射非选择性ＥＴＡ／ＥＴＢ受体拮抗剂ＰＤ１４２８９３对ＳＨＲ和ＷＫＹ大鼠的血压和心率均无明显影响。结论孤束核ＥＴ－１与ＳＨＲ的血压增高无关     

11β-HYDROXYSTEROID DEHYDROGENASE TYPE I ENZYME IN THE HEARTS OF NORMOTENSIVE AND SPONTANEOUSLY HYPERTENSIVE RATS

1. The enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11βHSD) converts glucocorticoids to their inactive 11-keto metabolites. The ubiquitous expression of the NADP-dependent isoform (11βHSD1) suggests an important role in modulating glucocorticoid action, but little is known about 11βHSD1 gene expression and enzymatic activity in the rat heart. 2. In the present study rat cardiac 11βHSD1 activity and ontogeny of gene expression have been characterized. The addition of NADP, but not NAD, to heart homogenates resulted in significant increases in the metabolism of both corticosterone and cortisol, with the former substrate displaying far greater metabolism. Both 11βHSD1 gene expression and enzyme activity increased in parallel from low levels at 1 week of age to maximal levels at 8 weeks, with no further change by 16 weeks of age. 3. We also compared theactivity of 11βHSD1 in the hearts of male and female spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) with normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) controls. Enzyme activity in the pooled atria of female SHR was significantly higher than in male SHR atria (7.6±0.6% conversion of corticosterone vs 4.5±0.5%; P < 0.05). The left ventricles of female WKY rats contained significantly less 11βHSD activity than either male WKY rats or female SHR (8.6±0.8% conversion vs 17±1.4 and 13.6±0.5%, respectively; P < 0.05). In the right ventricle, female WKY rats also had significantly less enzyme activity than either female SHR or male WKY rats (4.9±0.7 vs 10.0±1.7 and 10.2±1.4%; P<0.05). 4. These results clearly show that the rat heart contains significant amounts of the 11βHSD1 enzyme and that this activity is sexually dimorphic. Furthermore, significant differences were observed between a normotensive and hypertensive strain of rat. The relevance of these observations to the aetiology and maintenance of hypertension remains to be explored.     

Gender differences in blood pressure and heart rate in spontaneously hypertensive and Wistar-Kyoto rats

1. In general, premenopausal women are known to have lower blood pressure than men and animal models have shown a similar sexual dimorphism. However, many studies in animals have been performed using anaesthetized or restrained models. Current experiments were conducted to investigate the relationships among resting heart rate, blood pressure and gender in conscious, unrestrained normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). 2. Biotelemetry transmitters were implanted in 6-month-old animals. Values for heart rate, diastolic blood pressure, systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure were recorded continuously at 10 min intervals after all animals recovered completely from surgery. 3. Normal circadian rhythms in heart rate were found in all rats, with no significant differences among the four groups; the circadian variation in blood pressure was evident in all groups, although much smaller. Heart rate was found to be higher in WKY female rats than in the other three groups. Male WKY rats, male SHR and female SHR had similar heart rates. Male SHR had significantly higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures than female SHR. Male and female WKY rats had similar diastolic blood pressure, but males had slightly higher systolic pressure than females. No significant difference in pulse pressure was found in WKY male and female rats. Male SHR showed significantly higher pulse pressure than female SHR at most times during the day. 4. In conclusion, these results indicate that hypertension is exacerbated in male SHR compared with females under conscious resting conditions and demonstrate that the higher heart rate observed in WKY female rats is not present in the SHR model.     

Antihypertensive effects of the flavonoid quercetin in spontaneously hypertensive rats

1. The effects of an oral daily dose (10 mg kg(-1)) of the flavonoid quercetin for 5 weeks in spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and normotensive Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) were analysed. 2. Quercetin induced a significant reduction in systolic (-18%), diastolic (-23%) and mean (-21%) arterial blood pressure and heart rate (-12%) in SHR but not in WKY rats. 3. The left ventricular weight index and the kidney weight index in vehicle-treated SHR were significantly greater than in control WKY and these parameters were significantly reduced in quercetin-treated SHR in parallel with the reduction in systolic blood pressure. 4. Quercetin had no effect on the vasodilator responses to sodium nitroprusside or to the vasoconstrictor responses to noradrenaline or KCl but enhanced the endothelium-dependent relaxation to acetylcholine (E(max)=58+/-5% vs 78+/-5%, P<0.01) in isolated aortae. 5. The 24 h urinary isoprostane F(2 alpha) excretion and the plasma malonyldialdehyde (MDA) levels in SHR rats were increased as compared to WKY rats. However, in quercetin-treated SHR rats both parameters were similar to those of vehicle-treated WKY. 6. These data demonstrate that quercetin reduces the elevated blood pressure, the cardiac and renal hypertrophy and the functional vascular changes in SHR rats without effect on WKY. These effects were associated with a reduced oxidant status due to the antioxidant properties of the drug.     

l‐Carnitine Attenuates Cardiac Remodelling rather than Vascular Remodelling in Deoxycorticosterone Acetate‐Salt Hypertensive Rats

Abstract: l ‐Carnitine is an important co‐factor in fatty acid metabolism by mitochondria. This study has determined whether oral administration of l ‐carnitine prevents remodelling and the development of impaired cardiovascular function in deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)‐salt hypertensive rats (n = 6–12; #p < 0.05 versus DOCA‐salt). Uninephrectomized rats administered DOCA (25 mg every 4th day s.c.) and 1% NaCl in drinking water for 28 days developed cardiovascular remodelling shown as systolic hypertension, left ventricular hypertrophy, increased thoracic aortic and left ventricular wall thickness, increased left ventricular inflammatory cell infiltration together with increased interstitial collagen and increased passive diastolic stiffness and vascular dysfunction with increased plasma malondialdehyde concentrations. Treatment with l ‐carnitine (1.2% in food; 0.9 mg/g/day in DOCA‐salt rats) decreased blood pressure (DOCA‐salt 169 ± 2; + l ‐carnitine 148 ± 6# mmHg), decreased left ventricular wet weights (DOCA‐salt 3.02 ± 0.07; + l ‐carnitine 2.72 ± 0.06# mg/g body‐wt), decreased inflammatory cells in the replacement fibrotic areas, reduced left ventricular interstitial collagen content (DOCA‐salt 14.4 ± 0.2; + l ‐carnitine 8.7 ± 0.5# % area), reduced diastolic stiffness constant (DOCA‐salt 26.9 ± 0.5; + l ‐carnitine 23.8 ± 0.5# dimensionless) and decreased plasma malondialdehyde concentrations (DOCA‐salt 26.9 ± 0.8; + l ‐carnitine 21.2 ± 0.4# μmol/l) without preventing endothelial dysfunction. l ‐carnitine attenuated the cardiac remodelling and improved cardiac function in DOCA‐salt hypertension but produced minimal changes in aortic wall thickness and vascular function. This study suggests that the mitochondrial respiratory chain is a significant source of reactive oxygen species in the heart but less so in the vasculature in DOCA‐salt rats, underlying the relatively selective cardiac responses to l ‐carnitine treatment.     

口服螺内酯对SHR心肌组织TNF-α表达的影响

目的:观察口服小剂量螺内酯对自发性高血压大鼠(SHR)心肌组织TNF-α表达水平的影响.方法:20只8周龄雄性SHR随机分为螺内酯组和安慰剂组,每组10只,另设对照组(Wistar-kyoto,n=7).螺内酯组螺内酯双蒸水溶解,20 mg/(kg·d)灌胃,安慰剂组和对照组等容积双蒸水灌胃,持续16周,24周龄大鼠称取体质量,颈动脉插管检测动脉血压.摘取心脏,心尖部横断为两片,分别投入液氮罐中和10％中性甲醛固定液中,用ELASA方法检测心肌组织匀浆上清液TNF-α水平,免疫组化观察TNF-α表达.结果:螺内酯组与安慰剂组比较,收缩压、舒张压、平均动脉压水平无明显变化(P＞0.05),但两组的收缩压、舒张压、平均动脉压均明显高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05).安慰剂组与对照组比较,心肌组织TNF-α水平明显升高,螺内酯组与安慰剂组比较心肌组织TNF-α水平降低,差异有统计学意义(P＜0.01),但未达对照组水平(P＞0.05).结论:SHR大鼠心肌组织TNF-α高表达,口服小剂量螺内酯可降低SHR大鼠心肌组织TNF-α水平.     

Neurotensin-induced myocardial noradrenergic effects in spontaneously hypertensive rats

Although increases in myocardial synaptic norepinephrine concentrations contribute toward the progression to heart failure in hypertension, the stimuli for norepinephrine release are unclear. In this study we explored whether neurotensin, a neuropeptide found in heart tissue, could modify myocardial norepinephrine release in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Prior to the development of cardiac decompensation, baseline coronary effluent norepinephrine concentrations were higher in isolated heart preparations of spontaneously hypertensive rats than in Wistar Kyoto (WKY) control rat hearts. Neurotensin increased coronary effluent norepinephrine concentrations and induced positive inotropic responses, effects that were enhanced in spontaneously hypertensive rats compared with Wistar Kyoto rats. Although the neurotensin receptor antagonist, SR 48692, did not modify either baseline coronary effluent norepinephrine concentrations or left ventricular systolic function in spontaneously hypertensive rats, it dose dependently abolished neurotensin-induced cardiac norepinephrine release and contractile responses. Neurotensin-mediated inotropic responses were also abolished by co-administration of the beta-adrenoreceptor blockers, propranolol and atenolol. Inotropic responses to exogenous norepinephrine were similar in SHR and WKY rats. In summary, in the hypertensive heart there is an increased sensitivity to neurotensin's actions on myocardial norepinephrine release and subsequent contractile changes. Therefore, neurotensin receptor blockade may represent a novel therapeutic target in preventing the progression to heart failure in hypertension.     

The effect of medetomidine, an alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonist, on plasma atrial natriuretic peptide levels, haemodynamics and renal excretory function in spontaneously hypertensive and Wistar-Kyoto rats.

1. The effects of the selective alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonist, medetomidine, were assessed on plasma levels of immunoreactive atrial natriuretic peptide (IR-ANP), haemodynamics and on urine water and solute excretion in conscious, chronically cannulated, 7 month-old spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and age-matched Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats, in order to examine the role of alpha 2-adrenoceptors in the control of ANP secretion. 2. A 60 min i.v. infusion of medetomidine (0.2 or 0.6 microgram kg-1 min-1) decreased heart rate dose-dependently in both strains. Medetomidine infusion (0.6 microgram kg-1 min-1) resulted in an increase in mean arterial pressure in WKY, whereas both doses decreased blood pressure in SHR. There was a slight increase in the right atrial pressure in both strains (WKY: +1.18 +/- 0.26 mmHg; SHR: +1.64 +/- 0.64 mmHg, NS) in response to infusion of 0.6 microgram kg-1 min-1 of medetomidine. 3. No differences were found in resting plasma IR-ANP levels between WKY (114 +/- 8 pg ml-1, n = 19) and SHR (117 +/- 10 pg ml-1, n = 21). Infusion of equibradycardic doses of medetomidine increased dose-dependently plasma IR-ANP levels in WKY, but did not affect the plasma IR-ANP concentration in SHR rats. 4. Despite the different effect of medetomidine on ANP release in WKY and SHR rats, i.v. administration of medetomidine affected renal excretory functions similarly in both strains; urine flow and sodium excretion increased and urine osmolality decreased significantly, while there was no consistent change in urinary potassium excretion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The α‐adrenoceptor antagonist,zolertine, inhibits α1D‐ and α1A‐adrenoceptor‐mediated vasoconstriction in vitro

1 The antagonist effect of zolertine (4‐phenyl‐1‐[2‐(5‐tetrazolyl)ethyl]piperazine trihydrochloride), on vascular contraction elicited by noradrenaline in aorta, carotid (α1D‐adrenoceptors), mesenteric (α1A/D‐adrenoceptors) and caudal arteries (α1A‐adrenoceptors) from Wistar Kyoto (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats and rabbit aorta (α1B‐adrenoceptors), was investigated in endothelium‐denuded arterial rings.
2 The selective α1D‐adrenoceptor agonist, noradrenaline, elicited concentration‐dependent contractions in all arterial rings from both species. Noradrenaline selectivity was: carotid=aorta>>.Gt;mesenteric=rabbit aorta>caudal arteries.
3 The contractile responses induced by noradrenaline were competitively antagonized by zolertine in rat carotid and aorta arteries, yielding pA2 values of WKY, 7.48±0.18; SHR, 7.43±0.13 and WKY, 7.57±0.24; SHR, 7.40±0.08, respectively. Zolertine was a non‐competitive antagonist in some blood vessels as Schild plot slopes were lower than unity. The pKb estimates for zolertine were WKY, 6.98±0.16; SHR, 6.81±0.18 in the mesenteric artery, WKY, 5.73±0.11; SHR, 5.87±0.25 in the caudal artery and 6.65±0.09 in rabbit aorta.
4 Competition binding experiments using the α1‐adrenoceptor antagonist [³H]prazosin showed a zolertine pKi of 6.81±0.02 in rat liver (α1B‐adrenoceptors) and 6.35±0.04 in rabbit liver (α1A‐adrenoceptors) membranes.
5 Zolertine showed higher affinity for α1D‐adrenoceptors compared to α1A‐adrenoceptors, while it had an intermediate affinity for α1B‐adrenoceptors. The ability of the α1‐adrenoceptor antagonist zolertine to block α1D‐adrenoceptor‐mediated constriction in different vessels of WKY and SHR rats may explain its antihypertensive efficacy despite its low order of potency.     

K201 Improves norepinephrine‐induced diastolic dysfunction with preserved ejection fraction

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction differs from systolic heart failure in pathogenesis, underlying disease, and prognosis; however, the onset mechanism of this type of heart failure remains unknown and there is no proven therapy. Recently, we showed that norepinephrine (NE) under Ca²⁺ loading induces severe diastolic dysfunction without a significant change in the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), that is, increased left ventricular end‐diastolic pressure (LVEDP), norepinephrine‐induced diastolic contracture (NEIDC), and diastolic opening of the aortic valve. In this study, the effects of two benzothiazepine derivatives, K201 (JTV519) and diltiazem, on diastolic dysfunction were examined using this model. K201 significantly suppressed the increase in LVEDP, reduced the incidence of NEIDC, and significantly improved the Ea wave and DCT in a dose‐dependent manner, as well as reducing pulmonary hemorrhage. In contrast, diltiazem did not improve diastolic dysfunction and the mortality in the diltiazem group was 57%, compared to 0% in the K201 group. These results suggest that reduction of intracellular Ca²⁺ alone does not inhibit diastolic heart failure; in contrast, blocking of α‐adrenoceptors and regulation of proteins such as troponin I via protein kinase C are required for treatment of diastolic heart failure. These results also suggest that K201 may be an agent for treatment of diastolic heart failure. Drug Dev. Res. 67:852–861, 2006. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

11β-HYDROXYSTEROID DEHYDROGENASE ACTIVITY IN MESENTERIC ARTERIES OF SPONTANEOUSLY HYPERTENSIVE RATS

1. 11β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11-HSD) activity in mesenteric arteries of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats was determined and expressed as the percentage conversion of [³H]-corticosterone to [³H]-11-dehydrocorticosterone. 2. 11-HSD activity was significantly decreased in mesenteric arteries of both 4 and 9 week old SHR (8.4 ± 0.8%, 5.0 ± 1.5%, respectively) compared with WKY rats (12.4 ± 0.6%, 15.8 ± 0.7%, respectively; P≤ 0.05). 3. Total RNA from rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) and endothelial cells (EC) were prepared with selective precipitation in 3 mol/L LiC1/6 mol/L urea. The expression of 11-HSD mRNA was confirmed in the rat VSMC but its mRNA expression was not detected in EC, using northern blot analysis. 4. The results in this study indicate that 11-HSD in the vascular wall may play a role in the pathogenesis of hypertension in SHR.     

Different sensitivity of isoprenaline‐induced responses in ventricular muscle to sodium nitroprusside in normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats 1

1 The aim of the present work was to study the possible modulatory role of nitric oxide (NO) on the positive inotropic effect induced by the β‐adrenoceptor agonist isoprenaline in myocardial contractility, and whether this modulation is altered by hypertension.
2 The study was performed using right ventricular strips from the hearts of 6‐month‐old male Wistar–Kyoto (WKY) rats and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). The contractile force of electrically‐stimulated ventricular strips was measured by a force‐displacement transducer.
3 Isoprenaline (from 10 nmol l?1 to 10 μmol l?1) induced a concentration‐dependent increase in cardiac contractility in strips from both rat strains. This positive inotropic effect to isoprenaline was reduced by the NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP, 0.1 mmol l?1) in muscles from WKY rats and slightly increased in those from SHR. The SNP‐induced increase in strips from SHR was abolished by superoxide dismutase (100 U ml?1).
4 NG‐nitro‐arginine‐methyl ester (L‐NAME, 0.1 mmol l?1) and 1H‐[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3]quinoxalin‐1‐one (ODQ, 10 μmol l?1), respective inhibitors of NO synthase and guanylate cyclase, increased the response to isoprenaline in muscles from WKY rats, whereas it was unaltered in strips from SHR.
5 In strips from WKY rats, the combination of ODQ and SNP produced an increase in the response elicited by isoprenaline, which was similar to that observed with ODQ or L‐NAME. 8‐Br‐cyclicGMP (8‐Br‐cGMP, 0.1 mmol l?1), a permeable and structural cGMP analogue, decreased the effect induced by isoprenaline only in muscles from WKY rats.
6 These results suggest that the positive inotropic response to isoprenaline in ventricular strips from WKY rats is negatively modulated by NO, and positively by superoxide anions in those from SHR. The lack of a modulatory response to NO in ventricular strips from SHR is probably a result of an alteration of mechanisms in NO‐signalling pathway downstream of cGMP formation in SHR hearts.     

Effects of intravenous diltiazem on cardiocirculatory dynamics and cardiac output distribution in conscious spontaneously hypertensive rats

The effects of the calcium channel blocker, diltiazem hydrochloride (DZ), on conscious, resting spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were evaluated and compared with results from parallel studies on Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) controls. DZ was administered as a continuous, cumulative infusion at rates equal to 0.40, 2.00, and 10.00 mg/kg/h (each dose was administered for 15 min). Parallel volume infusion (saline) controls were simultaneously conducted using volume infusion rates identical to those used in DZ studies (0.015, 0.100, and 0.500 ml/min). Three hours prior to study, animals were instrumented under halothane anesthesia for measurement of left ventricular, arterial, and central venous pressures; heart rate and arterial blood gases; and for injection of radioactive microspheres and subsequent determination of cardiac output, regional blood flows, and cardiac output distribution. All data were collected at control (C) before initiation of infusion, and at the end of each 15-min infusion period in each animal. At C and compared with WKY, SHR had increased heart rate (392 vs. 280 beats/min), mean arterial pressure (155 vs. 100 mm Hg), left ventricular peak systolic pressure (200 vs. 132 mm Hg), and systemic vascular resistance (0.3 vs. 0.2 mm Hg/ml/min/kg), and reduced stroke volume (1.8 vs. 2.2 ml/beat/kg); but no difference in cardiac output, left ventricular end diastolic pressure, or central venous pressure was found. At C, SHR tended to have increased blood flow and reduced vascular resistance in the coronary circulation and increased vascular resistance in the cutaneous, renal, bronchial arterial, hepatic arterial, testicular, and cerebral circulations. Infusion of DZ increased cardiac output and stroke volume and decreased heart rate, left ventricular and arterial pressures, and systemic vascular resistance in SHR. Similar changes of substantially smaller magnitude were observed in WKY. DZ increased flow and reduced resistance in the coronary and skeletal muscle circulations of SHR to a greater extent than in WKY. DZ also normalized vascular resistance in previously elevated regions. These results suggest that acute intravenous infusion of DZ at doses ranging between 2 and 5 mg/kg is capable of normalizing cardiovascular hemodynamics and regional blood flow distribution in SHR.     

EFFECT OF CROSS-FOSTERING ON NEONATAL SODIUM BALANCE AND ADULT BLOOD PRESSURE IN THE SPONTANEOUSLY HYPERTENSIVE RAT

1. The aim of the present study was to compare electrolyte handling in naturally reared neonatal spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) with those reared by a Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rat foster mother (denoted SHRX), as cross-fostering SHR pups to a WKY rat dam lowers adult blood pressure in the SHR. 2. The electrolyte content of WKY rat and SHR dams’ milk was determined and electrolyte intake and urinary excretion rates were calculated in both naturally reared and cross-fostered WKY rat and SHR pups. 3. The milk sodium concentration fell in both strains (WKY rat: 31.8 ± 2.0 to 15.2 ± 1.2 mmol/L; SHR 31.9 ± 2.5 to 18.2 ± 1.6 mmol/L; P < 0.001), as did potassium (P < 0.001), over lactation, but there were no differences between strains. Calcium and magnesium concentrations increased (P< 0.001), although SHR dam's milk contained less calcium (P < 0.001) than that of WKY rat dams during the third week of lactation. 4. Spontaneously hypertensive rat pups ingested less milk (P<0.05) than WKY rat pups; therefore, their cumulative sodium intake over postnatal days 4–15 was significantly lower than that of WKY rat pups (WKY rat vs SHR: 84.4 ± 3.6 vs 59.7 ± 2.6 μmol/g bodyweight, respectively; P < 0.05) and fostered SHRX pups (77.7 ± 7.0 μmol/g bodyweight; P < 0.05). Potassium and magnesium intakes were comparable between SHR, WKY rat and SHRX pups, but SHR pups ingested significantly less calcium than either WKY rat pups (136.1 ± 6.4 vs 200.1 ± 9.5p, mol/g bodyweight, respectively; P<0.05) or SHRX pups (200.0 ± 18.0 μmol/g bodyweight; P<0.05). 5. These data show that the neonatal SHR experiences a period of sodium deficiency during the developmental stage when cross-fostering is effective in lowering blood pressure. This is consistent with the reported up-regulation of the renin-angiotensin system observed in SHR at this time and may have a long-term influence on blood pressure.     

氯沙坦对原发性高血压患者左室肥厚逆转作用

目的研究氯沙坦对原发性高血压(EH)患者的降压作用和对左室肥厚(LVH)的影响。方法选择60例EH患者,其中有LVH者22例,口服氯沙坦50 mg/d,为期6个月。观察血压,治疗前后测血脂、血糖和肝肾功能,并做二维超声心动图检测,采用自身前后对照的实验方法。结果EH患者经氯沙坦治疗前收缩压(156.9±8.9)mmHg,治疗后(138.7±1.2)mmHg。舒张压治疗前(101.3±7.5)mmHg,治疗后(85.9±6.1)mmHg,均显著下降(P<0.01)。其中LVH者左心室舒张末期内径治疗前(51.2±3.2)mm,治疗后(46.8±5.2)mm。左室重量治疗前(245.6±24.9)g,治疗后(237.1±22.4)g,均明显下降(P<0.05)。舒张末期左室后壁厚度治疗前(11.9±0.6)mm,治疗后(11.2±0.5)mm。室间隔厚度治疗前(13.4±0.8)mm,治疗后(11.7±1.5)mm。左室重量指数治疗前138.2±24.1,治疗后116.2±24.3,均明显下降(P<0.01)。结论氯沙坦治疗EH安全有效,并且可以逆转LVH。     

ANGIOTENSIN CONVERTING ENZYME INHIBITOR, CAPTOPRIL, INHIBITS CARDIAC HYPERTROPHY WITHOUT CHANGING COLLAGEN TYPES AND CONCENTRATION IN SPONTANEOUSLY HYPERTENSIVE RATS

1. The effects of the ACE inhibitor, captopril, on collagen metabolism in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) with cardiac hypertrophy was examined. Captopril (100 mg/kg per day) was administered in drinking water to 20 week old male SHR for 12 weeks. Collagen concentration was calculated from hydroxyproline content, and relative proportions of types I, III and V collagen were determined by non-interrupted SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). These parameters were examined in age and sex matched Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats, as well as in non-treated SHR, and compared with those of captopril-treated SHR. 2. Captopril significantly reduced both blood pressure (191 ± 12.1 vs 146 ± 11.2 mmHg, P < 0.01), and the ratio of left ventricular (LV) weight to bodyweight (BW; 2.38 ± 0.17 vs 2.05 ± 0.12 mg/g, P < 0.01). There were no significant differences in collagen concentration among WKY rats, captopril-treated SHR and non-treated 32 week old SHR. However, total collagen content in captopril-treated SHR reduced significantly compared with non-treated 32 week old SHR (16.8 ± 2.0 vs 21.3 ± 0.8 mg, P < 0.01). The relative proportion of type V collagen was significantly higher in both captopril-treated (58.6 ± 3.4 vs 46.8 ± 1.3%, P < 0.01) and non-treated 32 week old SHR (59.9 ± 3.1 vs 46.8 ± 1.3%, P < 0.01) compared with WKY rats. However, there were no significant differences between captopril-treated SHR and non-treated 32 week old SHR. 3. The data from this study showed that captopril reduced cardiac hypertrophy, as reported previously, but did not change collagen types and concentration of the hypertrophied myocardium in SHR.     

Release of atrial natriuretic peptide from rat myocardium in vitro: effect of minoxidil-induced hypertrophy.

1. Ventricular hypertrophy is characterized by stimulation of ventricular synthesis of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP). To examine the role of ventricular ANP levels in the secretion of ANP into the circulation, atrial and ventricular levels of immunoreactive-ANP (IR-ANP) as well as ANP messenger RNA (mRNA), and the release of IR-ANP from isolated perfused hearts, both before and after atrialectomy, were measured simultaneously in control and minoxidil-treated Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats. 2. IR-ANP levels in the ventricles of untreated, 12 month-old SHR with severe ventricular hypertrophy were increased when compared to age-matched WKY rats. Minoxidil treatment for 8 weeks in both strains resulted in a decrease in mean arterial pressure and increases in ventricular weight to body weight ratios, plasma IR-ANP concentrations (in WKY from 133 +/- 20 to 281 +/- 34 pg ml-1, P less than 0.01; in SHR from 184 +/- 38 to 339 +/- 61 pg ml-1, P less than 0.05), and in ventricular IR-ANP contents (in WKY: 53%; in SHR: 41%). A highly significant correlation was found between ventricular IR-ANP content and ventricular weight to body weight ratio (r = 0.59, P less than 0.001, n = 26). 3. When studied in vitro, in isolated perfused heart preparations, the hypertrophied ventricular tissue after atrialectomy secreted more ANP into the perfusate than ventricles of the control hearts; ventricles contributed 28%, 22%, 18% and 15% of the total ANP release to perfusate in the minoxidil-treated SHR, control SHR, minoxidil-treated WKY and control WKY, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Effects of clofilium on cardiovascular tissues from normo- and hypertensive rats

1. The overall aim was to test whether clofilium has some potential as a positive inotrope for heart failure. We used Wistar Kyoto normotensive rats (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and studied the effects of clofilium on isolated blood vessels, left ventricular action potentials and left ventricular contractility. 2. Clofilium at < or = 10(-6) M had no effect on WKY portal vein contractions and at < or = 3 x 10(-4) M had no effect on WKY or SHR quiescent mesenteric and intralobar pulmonary arteries. 3. Clofilium at 10(7) - 10(-5) M prolonged the WKY left ventricular action potentials and with 10(-6) and 10(-5)M this included after-depolarizations. 4. Clofilium at < or = 3 x 10(-5) M augmented the peak force, prolonged the contractions and did not cause arrhythmias in the absence and presence of isoprenaline on left ventricle strips from 12-month-old WKY. 5. The 12-month-old SHR has hypertrophy of the left ventricle with reduced peak force and prolongation of relaxation. The effects of clofilium on 12-month-old SHR left ventricle contractility were similar to those in the age-matched WKY. 6 In summary, clofilium has positive inotropic effects on the rat left ventricle that are maintained in hypertrophy. Clofilium does not have effects on blood vessels that would be detrimental in heart failure. Clofilium prolongs the rat left ventricle action potential and causes after-depolarizations. The pro-arrhythmic potential of clofilium, however, makes it unlikely that it could be used as a positive inotrope in the treatment of heart failure.     

人参皂苷Rg_2对犬戊巴比妥钠心力衰竭的影响

目的 观察人参皂苷Rg_2(Rg_2)对犬戊巴比妥钠心力衰竭的影响。方法 复制戊巴比妥钠致心力衰竭模型,静脉注射Rg_2 0.5、1.0、2.0 mg·kg~(-1),观察对血流动力学的影响。结果 Rg_2 0.5、1.0、2.0mg·kg~(-1)静脉注射,可加快HR、升高SBP、DBP、MAP、LVSP及±dp/dt_(max);降低LV-EDP。结论 Rg_2能改善心功能不全犬的血流动力学状况,具有强心作用。