Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0020538 (hypertension)
 170,190 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Endothelin (ET)-1 is a potent vasoconstrictor that participates in cardiovascular diseases. Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is a novel fibrotic mediator that is overexpressed in human atherosclerotic lesions, myocardial infarction, and experimental models of hypertension. In vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), CTGF regulates cell proliferation/apoptosis, migration, and extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation. Our aim was to investigate whether ET-1 could regulate CTGF and to investigate the potential role of ET-1 in vascular fibrosis. In growth-arrested rat VSMCs, ET-1 upregulated CTGF mRNA expression, promoter activity, and protein production. The blockade of CTGF by a CTGF antisense oligonucleotide decreased FN and type I collagen expression in ET-1-treated cells, showing that CTGF participates in ET-1-induced ECM accumulation. The ETA, but not ETB, antagonist diminished ET-1-induced CTGF expression gene and production. Several intracellular signals elicited by ET-1, via ETA receptors, are involved in CTGF synthesis, including activation of RhoA/Rho-kinase and mitogen-activated protein kinase and production of reactive oxygen species. CTGF is a mediator of TGF-beta- and angiotensin (Ang) II-induced fibrosis. In VSMCs, ET-1 did not upregulate TGF-beta gene or protein. The presence of neutralizing transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta antibody did not modify ET-1-induced CTGF production, showing a TGF-beta-independent regulation. We have also found an interrelationship between Ang II and ET-1 because the ETA antagonist diminished CTGF upregulation caused by Ang II. Collectively, our results show that, in cultured VSMCs, ET-1, independently of TGF-beta and through the activation of several intracellular signals via ETA receptors, regulates CTGF. This novel finding suggests that CTGF could be a mediator of the profibrotic effects of ET-1 in vascular diseases.
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PMID:Endothelin-1, via ETA receptor and independently of transforming growth factor-beta, increases the connective tissue growth factor in vascular smooth muscle cells. 1597 12

In addition to its potent vasoconstricting effect, endothelin (ET)-1 induces proliferation of pulmonary vascular cells and appears to play a pathogenic role in the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Blockade of the ET receptors has been proposed for the treatment of this condition. Bosentan (Tracleer, Actelion Pharmaceuticals), an oral ETA/ETB receptor antagonist, has been shown to improve exercise capacity, quality of life, haemodynamics and time to clinical worsening of patients with PAH in short-term placebo-controlled trials. These improvements were sustained, and a long-term observational study on idiopathic PAH patients suggested a favourable effect on survival in this subset. In the present report, the pharmacology, clinical efficacy and safety profile of bosentan are summarised. The place of bosentan among the current therapies available for the treatment of PAH is also discussed.
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PMID:Treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension with bosentan: from pathophysiology to clinical evidence. 1601 84

The renin-ANG system has been reported to be overexpressed in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). We investigated the effects of ANG receptor-1 blockade by losartan on hemodynamics and signaling molecules in a piglet overflow model of early PAH. Twenty-six 3-wk-old piglets were randomized to placebo or losartan therapy (1 mg.kg(-1).day(-1)) after anastomosis of the inominate to the main pulmonary artery or after a sham operation. Three months later, the animals underwent a hemodynamic evaluation, followed by pulmonary tissue sampling for morphometry, immunohistochemistry, and real-time quantitative-PCR. Chronic systemic-to-pulmonary shunting increased the pulmonary vascular resistance from 2.5 +/- 0.2 to 6.2 +/- 0.3 mmHg.l(-1).min.m(-2) and arteriolar medial thickness from 13.6 to 25.4%. These changes were associated with increased expressions of ANG II and its type 1 (AT1) and type 2 (AT2) receptors, endothelin-1 (ET-1) and its type B receptor (ETB), and angiopoietin-1, together with decreased expressions of bone morphogeneic protein receptor-1A and -2 (BMPR-1A and BMPR-2, respectively) and unchanged expression of the receptor tyrosine kinase with immunoglobulin and EGF homology domains-2 (Tie 2). Pretreatment with losartan decreased shunt-induced pulmonary vascular resistance and medial thickness by 51% and 35%, respectively. Losartan therapy was associated with persistent overexpressions of ANG II, AT2, ET-1, ETB, and angiopoietin-1 and with a return to normal of the BMPR-2 expression. These results suggest that ANG II contributes to left-to-right, shunt-induced PAH.
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PMID:Prevention of pulmonary vascular remodeling and of decreased BMPR-2 expression by losartan therapy in shunt-induced pulmonary hypertension. 1602 66

Endothelin-1 (ET-1), the predominant isoform of the endothelin peptide family, has potent vasoconstrictor, mitogenic, pro-inflammatory and antinatriuretic properties which have been implicated in the pathophysiology of a number of cardiovascular diseases. ET-1 effects are mediated through activation of the G-protein-coupled ETA and ETB receptors, which are found in a variety of cells including endothelial, vascular smooth muscle and mesangial cells. Overexpression of ET-1 has been consistently described in salt-sensitive models of hypertension and in models of renal failure, and has been associated with disease progression. The development of a range of peptidic and nonpeptidic ET-1 receptor antagonists represents an exciting breakthrough in cardiovascular therapeutics. Endothelin antagonists improve endothelium-dependent relaxation and ameliorate vascular and cardiac hypertrophy as well as glomerulosclerosis; interestingly, these beneficial effects seem to occur independently of their capacity to lower blood pressure. The comparison between selective ETA and combined ETA/ETB antagonists in experimental models of cardiovascular diseases reveals no differences in terms of their effects on blood pressure, LV hemodynamics or remodeling. In the case of salt-sensitive hypertension, ETA receptor blockade leads to the prevention of vascular hypertrophy and renal function improvement, being likely that these effects are also mediated by ETB receptors based on the fact that the concomitant blockade of ETB receptors prevents the beneficial effects of ETA antagonists. As a whole, the available data indicate that the use of ET-1 receptor antagonists might be of therapeutic interest to prevent hypertension induced end-organ damage; however, the comparative efficacy of selective ETA vs. dual ETA/ETB blockade to prevent target organ injuries in humans still remains to be investigated.
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PMID:Endothelin receptor antagonists: another potential alternative for cardiovascular diseases. 1610 62

The renin-angiotensin and endothelin systems regulate blood pressure, in part, by affecting renal tubular sodium transport. In rodents, ETB receptors decrease proximal tubular reabsorption, whereas AT1 receptors produce the opposite effect. We hypothesize that ETB and AT1 receptors interact at the receptor level, and that the interaction is altered in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). In immortalized renal proximal tubule (RPT) cells from Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats, angiotensin II, via AT1 receptors, increased ETB receptor protein in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. In contrast, in SHR RPT cells, angiotensin II (10(-8) M/24 hours) had no effect on ETB receptor protein. AT1/ETB receptors colocalized and co-immunoprecipitated in both rat strains but long-term angiotensin II (10(-8) M/24 hours) treatment increased AT1/ETB co-immunoprecipitation in WKY but not in SHR cells. Short-term angiotensin II (10(-8) M/15 minutes) treatment decreased ETB receptor phosphorylation in both WKY and SHR cells, and increased ETB receptors in RPT cell surface membranes of RPT cells in WKY but not SHRs. Basal cell surface membrane ETB receptor expression was also higher in WKY than in SHRs. We conclude that AT1 receptors regulate ETB receptors by receptor interaction and modulation of receptor expression. The altered AT1 receptor regulation of ETB receptors in SHRs may play a role in the pathogenesis of hypertension.
Hypertension 2005 Oct
PMID:Altered AT1 receptor regulation of ETB receptors in renal proximal tubule cells of spontaneously hypertensive rats. 1614 89

We have recently found that nonselective endothelin ETA/ETB receptor blockade markedly improves survival rate and ameliorates end-organ damage in male homozygous rats transgenic (TGR) for the mouse Ren-2 renin gene without lowering blood pressure. Because activation of the ETA receptor may be responsible for the detrimental effects of ET in the development of hypertension, this study was performed to determine whether ETA or ETA/ETB receptor blockade exerts these beneficial effects. TGR and age-matched normotensive Hannover Sprague-Dawley rats fed a high-salt diet received either vehicle or bosentan and atrasentan (ABT-627) as nonselective ETA/ETB and selective ETA receptor blockers, respectively, from 29 until 90 days of age. The survival rate of 48% in untreated TGR was significantly (P<0.01) improved to 79% by bosentan and to 92% by ABT-627 (ABT-627 versus bosentan P<0.05). Proteinuria, glomerulosclerosis, and cardiac hypertrophy, as well as ET-1 content in left ventricular tissue, were significantly reduced by bosentan and to a greater degree by ABT-627, which also significantly attenuated the rise in blood pressure (P<0.05). Our data indicate that the ET system, especially via ETA receptors, plays an important role in the development of hypertensive end-organ damage and confirm the concept that the predominant role of ETB receptors within the peripheral vasculature is to mediate the vasorelaxant actions of ET-1. They also demonstrate that selective blockade of ETA receptors is superior to nonselective ETA/ETB in attenuating hypertension, hypertensive organ damage, and survival rate.
Hypertension 2005 Oct
PMID:Early endothelin-A receptor blockade decreases blood pressure and ameliorates end-organ damage in homozygous Ren-2 rats. 1615 96

Analysis of gene expression profiles in patients or in animal models affected by cardiovascular diseases may provide insight into therapeutic strategies. In this study, 3 rat strains, Wistar Kyoto (WKY), spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and the Milan hypertensive rat strain (MHS), have been investigated to assess the influence of genetic background and/or of hypertension on gene expression in arteriotomy-injured carotid arteries (CAs). Expression profiles of genes, c-myc, AT1, AT2, ETA, ETB, Bcl-2, Bax and Bcl-X, were determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in the acute phase, from 1 to 48 h, following CA arteriotomy. WKY, SHR and MHS show significant differences in gene expression profiles after CA arteriotomy. c-Myc mRNA is activated earlier and/or to a greater extent in hypertensive strains than in WKY (p<0.05). AT1 mRNA increases in WKY after injury, while it decreases in both SHR and MHS (p<0.05). AT2 shows the opposite behaviour, decreasing in WKY and increasing in hypertensive strains (p<0.05). ETA mRNA decreases in all strains although with different timing and levels, associated with a replacement by ETB mRNA (p<0.05). Bcl-2/Bax ratio gradually decreases in WKY, while it decreases only transiently in SHR and MHS 4 h after injury (p<0.05). Overall data indicate that therapeutic strategies for stenosis prevention should carefully consider the gene expression profile after injury, the genetic background, the kind of vascular trauma and the diseases affecting the animal model or the patient.
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PMID:Carotid arteriotomy induces different temporal gene expression profiles in normotensive and hypertensive rat strains. 1627 86

We have previously shown that the partial disruption of the gene for atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) results in a salt-sensitive phenotype. The present study examined the possibility that alterations in either the ANP natriuretic pathway or endothelin (ET) system in the kidney of the salt-challenged ANP +/- mouse was responsible for its salt-sensitive phenotype. Plasma ANP levels and renal cGMP activity were increased in response to a salt load in both ANP +/+ and +/- mice. However, the mRNA expression of proANP was found to be increased only in the ANP +/- kidney along with its guanylyl cyclase-linked receptor, NPRA; the upregulation of NPRA mRNA was limited to the renal medulla. This suggests that the renal ANP pathway remains capable of responding to a salt load in the ANP +/- animal, but may be compensating for other dysfunctional pathways. We also report a significant increase in renal ET-1 mRNA and ETA receptor protein expression in medulla and cortex of the salt-treated, ANP +/- mouse, but not its wild-type counterpart. In fact, ETA expression decreased in the renal cortex of the ANP +/+ salt-treated animal. The ETB receptor expression was not affected by diet in either genotype. We hypothesize that the salt-sensitive hypertension in the ANP +/- mouse is exacerbated, and possibly driven by the vasoconstrictive effects resulting from an upregulated ET-1/ETA pathway.
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PMID:A potential role for the endothelin ETA receptor in salt-sensitive hypertension of the proANP gene-disrupted mouse. 1633 84

Leptin, the obese gene product, plays an important role in the regulation of cardiac function. However, the mechanism behind leptin-induced cardiomyocyte contractile response is poorly understood. This study was designed to examine whether endothelin-1 receptor and NADPH oxidase play any role in leptin-induced cardiac contractile response. Isolated murine cardiomyocytes were exposed to leptin (5, 50, and 100 nmol/L) for 60 minutes in the absence or presence of the ETA receptor antagonist BQ123 (1 micromol/L), the ETB receptor antagonist BQ788 (1 micromol/L), or the NADPH oxidase inhibitor apocynin (100 micromol/L) before mechanical function was studied. Superoxide levels were measured by dihydroethidium fluorescent dye and the superoxide dismutase-inhibitable reduction of cytochrome c. NADPH oxidase subunit expression (p22phox, p47phox, p67phox, and gp91phox) was evaluated with Western blot. Leptin depressed peak shortening and maximal velocity of shortening/relengthening (+/-dL/dt), prolonged the duration of relengthening (TR90) without affecting the time-to-peak cell shortening. Consistent with the mechanical characteristics, myocytes treated with leptin displayed a reduced electrically stimulated rise in intracellular Ca2+ (change in fura-2 fluorescence intensity) associated with a prolonged intracellular Ca2+ decay rate. All of the abnormalities were significantly attenuated by apocynin, BQ123, or BQ788. Intracellular superoxide generation was enhanced after leptin treatment, which was partially blocked by apocynin, BQ123, or BQ788. Leptin had no effect on p22phox and gp91phox but upregulated protein expression of p67phox and p47phox, both of which were inhibited by apocynin, BQ123, or BQ788. These results suggest that leptin suppresses cardiac contractile function in ventricular myocytes through the endothelin-1 receptor and NADPH oxidase-mediated pathway.
Hypertension 2006 Feb
PMID:Leptin regulates cardiomyocyte contractile function through endothelin-1 receptor-NADPH oxidase pathway. 1656 83

The endothelin (ET) system consists of 3 ET isopeptides, several isoforms of activating peptidases, and 2 G-protein-coupled receptors, ETA and ETB, that are linked to multiple signaling pathways. In the cardiovascular system, the components of the ET family are expressed in several tissues, notably the vascular endothelium, smooth muscle cells, and cardiomyocytes. There is general agreement that ETs play important physiological roles in the regulation of normal cardiovascular function, and excessive generation of ET isopeptides has been linked to major cardiovascular pathologies, including hypertension and heart failure. However, several recent clinical trials with ET receptor antagonists were disappointing. In the present review, the authors take the stance that ETs are mainly and foremost essential regulators of cardiovascular function, hence that antagonizing normal ET actions, even in patients, will potentially do more harm than good. To support this notion, we describe the predominant roles of ETs in blood vessels, which are (indirect) vasodilatation and ET clearance from plasma and interstitial spaces, against the background of the subcellular mechanisms mediating these effects. Furthermore, important roles of ETs in regulating and adapting heart functions to different needs are addressed, including recent progress in understanding the effects of ETs on diastolic function, adaptations to changes in preload, and the interactions between endocardial-derived ET-1 and myocardial pump function. Finally, the potential dangers (and gains) resulting from the suppression of excessive generation or activity of ETs occurring in some cardiovascular pathological states, such as hypertension, myocardial ischemia, and heart failure, are discussed.
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PMID:Cardiovascular endothelins: essential regulators of cardiovascular homeostasis. 1645 92


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