Erythropoietin production in healthy volunteers subjected to controlled hypobaric hypoxia: further evidence against a role for adenosine

Aims Objective of this study was to investigate whether adenosine modulates renal erythropoietin production.
Methods In the present study erythropoietin production was stimulated by hypobaric hypoxia by subjecting healthy volunteers to a simulated altitude of 4000  m in a low pressure chamber for 5.5  h. During exposure to hypoxia the subjects received i.v. in a randomized, single-blind, cross-over fashion the non-specific adenosine antagonist theophylline, the adenosine reuptake inhibitor dipyridamole and placebo.
Results Contrary to the working hypothesis, theophylline did not decrease and dipyridamole did not further boost erythropoietin concentrations.
Conclusions The results are in agreement with our earlier study using haemorrhage as a controlled physiological stimulus of erythropoietin production, and would question a major role for adenosine as a mediator of renal erythropoietin production.     

Inhibin and renin in follicular fluids of patients with one or two ovaries stimulated with a GnRH agonist and gonadotrophins

Follicular fluids from eight patients with one ovary and from ten patients with two ovaries were investigated for bioactive inhibin, total renin, oestradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) concentrations. Four follicular fluids were pooled per patient before assessment. All women had been stimulated similarly using a protocol including a GnRH agonist, HMG and HCG. Renin levels were significantly lower and P4 significantly higher in pools of follicular fluid from patients with one ovary, whereas inhibin and E2 concentrations were similar in both patient groups. A significant negative correlation was found in the pools of follicular fluid between inhibin and E2 in both groups. These results suggest a role for inhibin and renin in the paracrine and autocrine control of stimulated follicular development.     

BIOCHEMICAL CORRECTION IN THE SYNDROME OF HYPERTENSION AND HYPERKALAEMIA BY SEVERE DIETARY SALT RESTRICTION SUGGESTS RENIN-ALDOSTERONE SUPPRESSION CRITICAL IN PATHOPHYSIOLOGY

1. Plasma potassium and chloride concentrations were raised and plasma renin activity, aldosterone, bicarbonate and arterial pH were reduced in two brothers with the syndrome of hypertension and hyperkalaemia with normal glomerular filtration rate (Gordon's syndrome), on unrestricted or moderately restricted sodium diets. 2. These abnormalities were corrected in both patients within 10 days of severe sodium restriction. 3. Pressor sensitivity to cold and angiotensin II decreased on low sodium diet, associated with a fall in blood pressure. 4. Increasing distal tubular sodium delivery by infusion of normal saline increased fractional excretion of potassium when aldosterone had been stimulated by severely restricted sodium diet, but not when aldosterone levels were low on unrestricted sodium diet. 5. These findings are consistent with excessive sodium reabsorption as the primary renal lesion in Gordon's syndrome, leading to volume expansion and suppression of renin and aldosterone. Severe dietary sodium restriction leading to volume contraction, by stimulating renin and aldosterone and promoting kaliuresis, corrects the abnormalities.     

成人原发性肾病综合征血容量与肾素,醛固酮,心钠素的关系

探讨成人原发性肾病综合征(NS)血容量与肾素、醛固酮及心钠素的关系。方法 应用~(113)mInCl标记转铁蛋白稀释法测定血容量,放免法测定血浆激素水平。对水肿期NS28例、正常26例及其中NS缓解期随访18例进行检测。结果 (1)水肿期NS血容量与正常组无差别,血浆肾素活性(PRA)、血管紧张素Ⅱ(ATⅡ)、醛固酮(Ald)、心钠素(ANP)水平均较正常组高,白蛋白、各激素水平与血容量无显著相关;(2)缓解期与水肿期比较,总的血容量无差异,Ald、ANP显著降低,PRA、ATⅡ则无明显差异;(3)Ald与24小时尿排钠(UNaV)显著负相关。结论 Ald和ANP是NS钠排泄的主要调节因子。     

RENIN GENE POLYMORPHISM ASSOCIATED WITH ALDOSTERONE RESPONSIVENESS TO THE RENINANGIOTENSIN SYSTEM IN PATIENTS WITH ALDOSTERONE-PRODUCING ADENOMAS

1. Aldosterone levels in patients with unilateral aldosterone-producing adenomas may be responsive or unresponsive to the renin-angiotensin system, with the former often previously misdiagnosed as bilateral adrenal hyperplasia. 2. In tumours from patients in the responsive subgroup, renin mRNA is expressed in greater amounts than in tumours from patients in the unresponsive subgroup, or in normal adrenals. 3. We compared the frequency of four renin gene polymorphisms in peripheral blood DNA from the two subgroups and found significant associations between BglI, TaqI and HinfI restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) and aldosterone responsiveness. 4. Allelic variation in the constitutive renin gene was associated with a specific cause of hypertension.     

VASOCONSTRICTOR RESPONSES TO COMPONENTS OF THE RENIN-ANGIOTENSIN SYSTEM IN CYCLOSPORIN-INDUCED HYPERTENSION IN THE RAT

1. Since plasma renin activity is increased in cyclosporin A (CsA)-induced hypertension in the rat, the role of the vascular renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in CsA-induced hypertension was investigated in rat mesenteric resistance vessels. 2. Female Wistar rats received CsA (10 mg/kg per day, s.c.) or vehicle for 30 days. CsA treatment increased tail-cuff systolic blood pressure (CsA treated 135 ± 3 mmHg vs control 125 ± 1 mmHg, P<0.0001). 3. Mesenteric resistance arteries (200–300 μm) were isolated and mounted in a microvessel myograph. Concentration-response curves to tetradecapeptide renin substrate (10-¹¹-10^?6 mol/L), angiotensin I (10-^l1-10^?6 mol/L) and angiotensin II (10-¹²-10^?6 mol/L) showed no differences between CsA-treated and control groups. 4. Mesenteric vascular angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) characteristics were determined by radioligand binding. There were no differences in the content or affinity of ACE between CsA-treated and control rats. 5. These results suggest that the mesenteric vascular RAS does not play a major role in CsA-induced hypertension in the rat.     

钠摄入量对心力衰竭大鼠心脏肾素-血管紧张素系统与心钠素的影响

目的　观察钠摄入量对心力衰竭大鼠心脏局部肾素-血管紧张素系统与心钠素的影响 .方法　经动 -静脉分流术造成大鼠充血性心衰模型 ,分为心衰组、心衰限钠组、心衰补钠组 ,假手术大鼠为对照组 ,用放射免疫分析法和原位杂交技术分别测定各组血浆和心肌血管紧张素 、心钠素含量及心肌血管紧张素原 m RNA表达水平 (吸光度 A值 ) ,同时检测心功能 .结果　心衰限钠组心房和心室血管紧张素 含量(2 0 .1± 4 .5 )和 (2 7.3± 5 .9) ng· g- 1、血管紧张素原 m RNA表达 (6 .4± 1.2 )和 (12 .6± 2 .3)显著高于心衰组 (17.5± 3.6 )和 (2 0 .1± 3.7) ng· g- 1 ,(6 .2± 1.9)和 (8.6± 1.7) (P<0 .0 5 ,P<0 .0 1) ,心室心钠素 (42 3± 6 8) ng· g- 1 也显著高于心衰组 (337± 86 ) ng· g- 1 (P<0 .0 5 ) ,心房心钠素 (6 7± 19)μg· g- 1显著低于心衰组 (85± 15 ) μg· g- 1 (P<0 .0 5 ) ;心衰补钠组心房和心室血管紧张素原 m RNA表达水平、心室血管紧张素 和心钠素与心衰组无显著差别 ,心房血管紧张素 与对照组无显著差别 ,心房心钠素 (10 1± 17) μg· g- 1 显著高于心衰组 (P<0 .0 1) .结论　心衰时不同钠摄入量可通过改变心脏局部肾素 -血管紧张素系统与心钠素的平衡状态在心衰发展进程中发挥作用     

Association of angiotensin II type 1 receptor gene polymorphism with essential hypertension

The renin-angiotensin system is involved in control of blood pressure and salt and fluid homeostasis. Genes for components of this system have been of major focus in research on the causation of the common, complex, polygenic trait, essential hypertension (HT). Association of an A→C variant at nucleotide 1166 of the angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT₁R) gene with HT, but an absence of linkage of this locus with this disease, has been reported recently. Since confirmation in a different setting is imperative, we performed a cross-sectional case-control study of the A1166C variant in a well-characterized group of 108 Caucasian HT subjects with a strong family history (two affected parents) and early onset disease. Genotyping was by mismatch polymerase chain reaction/ Bfr I restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Frequency of the C¹¹⁶⁶allele was 0.40 in HTs and 0.29 in normotensives. The difference in genotype (χ²= 13, P = 0.0015) and allele (χ²= 5.3, P = 0.02) frequencies between the two groups was significant (odds ratio for CC vs AA+AC = 7.3 [95% CI, 1.9–31.9). The present results implicate the AT₁R gene, or a locus in linkage disequilibrium with the variant tested, in the causation of essential HT.     

Effects of cimetidine on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of losartan,an AT1-selective non-peptide angiotensin II receptor antagonist

This was a 2-period randomized, crossover study in 8 healthy males to determine the effects of cimetidine (400 mg q.i.d. for 6 days) on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic effects of the angiotensin II receptor antagonist, losartan (100 mg). Cimetidine increased the AUC for losartan 18% without affecting the AUC for E-3174, the active metabolite of losartan. The increase in plasma renin activity following losartan was not affected by cimetidine (maximum mean increases 12.6 and 12.1 ng Ang I·ml^–1·h^–1 without and with cimetidine, respectively). These results indicate that cimetidine does not appear to alter the pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics of losartan to a clinically significant extent.