Monozygotic twins discordant for primary aldosteronism: a case report.

This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/jhh.2017.41.

Improvement of insulin sensitivity contributes to blood pressure reduction after weight loss in hypertensive subjects with obesity.

To access the role of insulin resistance in obesity hypertension, we examined the change of insulin sensitivity after weight loss in 24 obese hypertensive subjects by the euglycemic hyperinsulinemic glucose clamp method. The results of the 4-week calorie-restricted diet were a weight loss of 10.2% (from 74 +/- 12 to 67 +/- 11 kg, P < .01) and a decrease in mean blood pressure of 13.1% (from 124 +/- 7 to 107 +/- 9 mm Hg, P < .01). A decrease in plasma norepinephrine (from 208 +/- 74 to 142 +/- 52 pg/mL, P < .01) was associated with decreases in plasma renin activity (from 1.06 +/- 0.98 to 0.62 +/- 0.63 ng/mL per hour, P < .01) and serum aldosterone (from 70 +/- 28 to 57 +/- 24 pg/mL, P < .05). Glucose infusion rate increased significantly (42.9%), from 809 +/- to 1155 +/- 251 mumol/m2 per minute. The insulin sensitivity index, which is a measure of the glucose infusion rate divided by plasma insulin, increased significantly (42.6%), from 10.8 +/- 3.5 to 15.4 +/- 4.4 (mumol/m2 per minute)/(microU/mL). Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis showed that changes of plasma norepinephrine, insulin sensitivity index, plasma renin activity, and age were significant predictive factors for the change of mean blood pressure after weight loss. These results indicate a distinct relation between an improvement of insulin sensitivity and a decrease in blood pressure after weight loss in obese hypertensive subjects. The decrease in blood pressure after weight loss is probably related to the suppression of sympathetic nervous activity.

Long-term infusion of kallikrein attenuates renal injury in Dahl salt-sensitive rats.

We investigated whether long-term infusion of kallikrein would attenuate renal injury in salt-induced hypertension in Dahl salt-sensitive rats. A subdepressor dose of purified rat urinary kallikrein (700 ng/d IV) was infused by osmotic minipump for 4 weeks in male Dahl salt-sensitive rats fed a high salt (2% NaCl) diet. This dose did not affect the time-dependent elevation of blood pressure; however, urinary protein excretion was significantly decreased, and glomerular filtration rate was increased. These beneficial effects were reflected morphologically by an attenuation of glomerulosclerotic lesions and tubular injury seen in the hypertensive Dahl salt-sensitive rats. Kallikrein infusion increased urinary excretion of bradykinin and stimulated excretion of cyclic GMP, suggesting that the kallikrein-kinin-prostaglandin and nitric oxide axes were enhanced by rat urinary kallikrein infusion. The alterations induced by kallikrein infusion were potentiated by the concomitant administration of the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor alacepril. These studies indicated that long-term replacement with rat tissue kallikrein attenuates renal injury in hypertensive Dahl salt-sensitive rats.

Renin gene expression in the adrenal and kidney of patients with primary aldosteronism.

mRNA levels for renin in the adrenal gland and kidney were measured by ribonuclease protection assay (RPA). Renin mRNA was not detected by RPA in aldosteronoma and kidney tissues obtained from two patients with primary aldosteronism (PA). In these patients, the PRA values, plasma concentrations of active renin (ARC), and total renin (TRC = ARC + prorenin) were below the assay limit (less than 0.03 ng/L.s, 2.5 ng/L, and 10 ng/L, respectively). On the other hand, renin mRNA was recognized by RPA in aldosteronoma and kidney tissues obtained from two other patients with PA treated with 50 mg/day spironolactone for more than 2 months. Their TRC values were 49.8 and 16.6 ng/L, but their PRA and ARC were undetectable. Renin mRNA content was greater in normal adrenocortical tissue and in the normal kidneys obtained from three hypertensive patients with renal cell carcinoma. In these patients, the mean values of PRA, ARC, and TRC were 0.28 +/- 0.03 (mean +/- SD) ng/L.s, 18.4 +/- 7.8 ng/L, and 110 +/- 15 ng/L, respectively. This is the first report of the lack of renin gene expression in aldosteronoma and kidney tissues obtained from untreated patients with PA. Furthermore, treatment with spironolactone resulted in an increase in the levels of renin mRNA in the aldosteronoma and kidney tissues of patients with PA.

Association analysis of restriction fragment length polymorphism for alpha 2-adrenergic receptor genes in essential hypertension in Japan.

Recently, restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of alpha 2-adrenergic receptor gene (alpha 2-C10) digested with Bsu36I restriction enzyme has been reported in US populations. Therefore, we examined the association of this RFLP with essential hypertension by comparing the frequency of specific alleles for this gene in Japanese populations. The distribution of this RFLP was compared with that in US populations. Subjects were hypertensive patients with a family history of essential hypertension (n = 56) and normotensive subjects whose parents had no history of essential hypertension (n = 46). DNA was prepared from leukocytes. RFLP was determined by use of Southern blot analysis with an alpha 2-C10 probe and Bsu36I. The frequencies of the major (12-kb) and minor (5.8-kb) alleles were 0.30 and 0.70 in hypertensive patients and 0.38 and 0.62 in normotensive subjects, respectively. The difference between observed alleles in all subjects in each group was not significant (chi 2 = 1.33, P > .1). The difference between the overall allelic frequency in Japan and that reported in US populations was significant. This study found no evidence for an association between alpha 2-adrenergic receptor gene/Bsu36I RFLP and essential hypertension in Japan. However, the findings showed that the allele frequency in Japan differed from that reported in US populations.

Long-term inhibition of renin-angiotensin system sustains memory function in aged Dahl rats.

The Dahl salt-sensitive (DS) rat, a genetic model of salt-induced hypertension in humans, is more likely to develop severe vascular injuries than a rat with spontaneous hypertension. We designed an experiment to scrutinize the effects of renin-angiotensin inhibition on cognitive dysfunction in the aged, normotensive DS with a passive avoidance test. Eighteen months of treatment with a very low dose of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor cilazapril (2.5 microg/mL in drinking water) or the angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonist E4177 did not reduce blood pressure throughout the experiment, although in the low dose cilazapril group (12.5 microg/mL in drinking water), blood pressure dropped within 6 months after treatment began. The cilazapril treatments dose-dependently improved memory function in the aged, normotensive DS fed a low-salt diet compared with the untreated, control rats. This improvement was associated with significant increases in hippocampal CA1 cells and capillary densities in the CA1 regions compared with those in the untreated DS. Similarly, E4177 slightly improved the memory dysfunction observed in the aged DS. The cells in the hippocampal CA1 region were restored slightly, but the capillary densities were not influenced by the receptor antagonist. On the other hand, the ACE inhibitor and receptor antagonist both attenuated urinary protein excretions with an improvement of glomerular sclerosis. These data suggest that long-term treatment with an ACE inhibitor improves memory dysfunction probably through restoration of capillary and hippocampal cells. The effects are due to the inhibition of the angiotensin II type 1 receptor and probably to the enhancement of the kallikrein-kinin system.

Effects of thiazide diuretic on vascular eicosanoid system of spontaneously hypertensive rats.

To assess the role of the vascular eicosanoid system in thiazide therapy, we examined the aortic eicosanoid system of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) treated with trichloromethiazide for 2 weeks. The blood pressure reduction caused by the thiazide treatment was associated with a significant decrease in vascular vasodepressor prostacyclin (PGI2) generation, whereas neither nifedipine nor captopril treatment lowered vascular PGI2 generation. The thiazide diuretic directly lowered PGI2 synthase activity in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC), thereby decreasing PGI2 generation in the VSMC and probably in the aortic wall. This direct inhibitory effect on vascular PGI2 generation was not observed with either furosemide or indapamide. Thus, vascular PGI2 generation is reduced with trichloromethiazide, partly through its direct inhibition of PGI2 synthase; this has possible relevance to the non-beneficial effects of thiazide diuretics on the vascular sclerotic changes.

Dde I restriction fragment length polymorphism of the alpha 2-adrenoceptor gene does not correlate with blood pressure in the F2 generation obtained from crossing stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats and Wistar-Kyoto rats.

OBJECTIVE: A pathogenetic role of altered alpha 2-adrenoceptors in essential hypertension has been suggested, based on studies in humans and animals. To examine the role of the alpha 2-adrenoceptor in genetically hypertensive rats, we compared the alpha 2-adrenoceptor genes of stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP) and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis using human alpha 2-adrenoceptor probes (alpha 2-C10) and Dde I restriction endonuclease, and conducted a genetic cosegregation study. METHOD: Five female WKY rats were bred with five male SHRSP. Eight pairs of F1 rats were mated in brother-sister pairs to yield an F2 population of 84 rats. Systolic blood pressure was determined by tail-cuff sphygmomanometry. Direct arterial blood pressure was taken under ether anaesthesia just before the rats were killed. Southern blots were performed using alpha 2C10 as a probe and the DNA from the F2 generation. RESULTS: A restriction fragment length polymorphism of the SHRSP allele of a 1.6-kb fragment and a WKY rat allele of a 0.9-kb fragment with a common band of 1.3 kb in SHRSP and WKY rats was found, as reported previously. The distribution of the genotype based on restriction fragment length polymorphism conformed to a 1:2:1 ratio in F2 rats, as expected for a Mendelian trait. There was no significant difference in the blood pressure of F2 rats with respect to alpha 2-adrenoceptor genotype. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that the alpha 2-adrenoceptor gene restriction fragment length polymorphism distribution is a Mendelian trait in the F2 rats of crossed SHRSP and WKY rats, but failed to show genetic cosegregation of this restriction fragment length polymorphism with blood pressure in this generation.

Effect of dietary sodium on platelet alpha 2-adrenoceptors in young normotensive men with or without a family history of hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of genetics on the response of platelet alpha 2-adrenoceptors to a change in salt intake. METHODS: Biochemical measurements and radioligand binding assays in platelets were performed in 11 normotensive male university students with a family history of essential hypertension (FH+) and in 17 students without a family history of hypertension (FH-). The 28 students were fed a high-sodium diet for 7 days and a low-sodium diet for 7 days. RESULTS: In FH+ subjects the number of alpha 2-adrenergic receptors on platelet membrane fractions increased significantly from the high-sodium diet to the low-sodium diet, even though plasma noradrenaline concentrations tended to increase with the low-sodium diet. There was no change in the number of alpha 2-adrenoceptors in the FH--group. In both groups the radioligand binding affinity was decreased during a low-sodium period compared with in a high-sodium period. CONCLUSION: In the FH+ subjects the change in platelet alpha 2-adrenoceptors associated with altered sodium status was similar to that seen in patients with salt-sensitive hypertension, suggesting that there is a genetic susceptibility to sodium.

Mechanistic analysis of renal protection by angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor in Dahl salt-sensitive rats.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether and how renin-angiotensin inhibition attenuates renal injury seen in salt-induced hypertension in Dahl salt-sensitive (Dahl-S) rats. METHODS: Dahl-S rats fed a high-salt (4% sodium chloride) diet for 6 weeks were treated with the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor alacepril or the angiotensin receptor antagonist losartan for 4 weeks. Functional and morphological alterations in the kidney were investigated. RESULTS: Alacepril decreased systolic blood pressure (SBP). This SBP reduction was associated with the attenuation of cardiac and aortic wall hypertrophy and that of proteinuria and urinary N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase excretion. Kidney injuries, e.g. glomerular, arterial and tubular damage, were improved with alacepril treatment. Losartan decreased SBP to the same extent as alacepril, but neither renal function nor morphological structure was improved as was the case with alacepril. The response of the renal eicosanoid system to alacepril was inadequate, but cyclic GMP excretion, an indicator of nitric oxide formation, was significantly enhanced and lipid peroxidation in the kidney was decreased. CONCLUSIONS: The beneficial effects of ACE inhibition on the renal injury in Dahl-S rats outrange those induced by the receptor antagonism. This might be due to multiple factors including an increased vasodepressor eicosanoid system, enhanced nitric oxide formation and possible inhibition of oxygen radical generation in the injured renal tissues.

Subpressor dose of angiotensin II increases susceptibility to the haemodynamic injury of blood pressure in Dahl salt-sensitive rats.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of subpressor doses of angiotensin II (Ang II) on the progression of renal injuries in Dahl salt-sensitive (Dahl-S) rats with hypertension. METHODS: Rats were fed a high-salt (4% NaCl) diet and given an Ang II infusion (10 or 50 ng/kg per min, subcutaneously) for 4 weeks. RESULTS: The plasma Ang II concentration achieved in the high-dose Ang II infusion was lower than that in low-salt (0.3% NaCl) normotensive rats. The Ang II infusion did not affect systolic blood pressure, cardiac hypertrophy or weight of thoracic aorta. However, the high-dose Ang II infusion increased proteinuria by 58%, enhanced the urinary N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminase index by 77% and reduced the glomerular filtration rate by 37%. The impaired renal function was associated with a progression of glomerulosclerotic lesions. Neither tubular nor arterial lesions were exacerbated. The infusion did not influence prostacyclin production or urinary cyclic GMP excretion. CONCLUSION: A subpressor dose of Ang II infusion impairs renal function with progression of glomerulosclerosis, and these alterations may be due to increased susceptibility of the glomerulus in Dahl-S rats to Ang II-induced injuries. Such a mechanism might underlie a predisposition to hypertension-induced organ damage seen in Dahl-S rats with salt-induced hypertension.

Inhibition of protein synthesis and antiproliferative effect of the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor trandolaprilat in rat vascular smooth muscle cells.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor trandolaprilat on vascular smooth muscle cell growth, and to analyse its mechanism of action. DESIGN: Aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) from Wistar-Kyoto rats were cultured, and cell proliferation was analysed using a cell synchrony technique. METHODS: Proliferative activity was assessed by [3H]-thymidine uptake and doubling time. Protein synthesis was assessed by [3H]-leucine incorporation. Actin formation was measured using sodium dodecylsulphate-polyacrylamide slab gel electrophoresis and a densitometric assay. The effect of trandolaprilat on translational protein synthesis was also examined using the cell-free protein synthesis system of reticulocyte lysate and messenger RNA from VSMC. RESULTS: Trandolaprilat decreased [3H]-thymidine uptake and increased the doubling time of randomly cycling VSMC. The cell synchrony study revealed that this antiproliferative effect was due to increased transition time from S to G2-M. Decreased cell cycle progression during G2-M was reflected by inhibition of cellular protein synthesis during this period. Cellular protein in randomly cycling VSMC was also decreased by trandolaprilat. This decreased protein synthesis was probably produced by inhibition of RNA translation. CONCLUSIONS: The ACE inhibitor trandolaprilat reduces VSMC proliferation by lengthening the G2-M phase of the cell cycle, and produces a decrease in cellular protein content. This effect is probably mediated by inhibition of protein synthesis at the translational level.

High salt intake potentiates the renal vascular and glomerular damage caused by low doses of angiotensin II in uni-nephrectomized rats.

OBJECTIVE: We recently reported that the renin-angiotensin system plays an important role in the progression of vascular and kidney injuries, even in Dahl salt-sensitive rats with volume-dependent hypertension. In this study, we investigated whether a high-salt diet increases susceptibility to kidney injury induced by angiotensin II in normotensive, uni-nephrectomized Sprague-Dawley rats, which mimics the condition of salt-volume repletion and blunted renin-angiotensin system. METHODS: The rats were fed either a low-salt (0.3% NaCl) or a high-salt (4% NaCl) diet and divided into five groups: two control groups with a low-salt or a high-salt diet without angiotensin II infusion (saline infusion), and three angiotensin II groups (angiotensin II infusion, 10 or 50 ng/kg per min with high-salt diet, 50 ng/kg per min with low-salt diet, subcutaneously). The rats were kept on these regimes for 8 weeks. The blood pressure was measured every week. Functional and morphological alterations in the kidney were assessed at the end of the experiment RESULTS: There were no differences in the arterial blood pressures of the five experimental groups. However, angiotensin II infusion increased the weights of the heart and aortic walls in a dose-dependent manner in the high-salt groups. There was also a dose-dependent increase in proteinuria, N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase activity (NAG) excretion, and additional glomerular and arterial injuries in the kidney, associated with angiotensin II infusion in the high-salt groups. In the rats given a higher dose of angiotensin II, the high-salt diet significantly increased the weights of the heart and aortic walls and exacerbated the renal function and morphological injuries, compared to the low-salt group. High-salt diet alone increased the kidney and heart weights. However, it did not significantly influence the results of the morphological and functional study. On the other hand, angiotensin II infusion on a low-salt diet showed a trend towards glomerular damage; however, the effects were small and not significant. Similarly, there were few effects of angiotensin II infusion on morphology and functional study on a low-salt diet CONCLUSION: These data clearly show that a high-salt intake increases susceptibility of the kidney to injuries induced by low doses of angiotensin II in normotensive, uni-nephrectomized rats.

Antihypertensive effects of cicletanine and renal protection in Dahl salt-sensitive rats.

We designed experiments to reveal the antihypertensive properties of cicletanine, a novel antihypertensive drug, in Dahl salt-sensitive (Dahl-S) rats. Cicletanine (39 mg/kg body weight per day for 6 weeks) ameliorated the development of hypertension in Dahl-S rats fed a high-salt (4% NaCl) diet. This blood pressure reduction was associated with a decrease in heart weight and vascular wall thickness. Moreover, urinary prostacyclin (PGl2) excretion was increased with cicletanine treatment, being inversely related to systolic blood pressure. Proteinuria and urinary excretion of n-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase were decreased and glomerular filtration rate was increased with this treatment. Morphological investigation revealed an improvement in glomerulosclerosis, renal tubular damage and intrarenal arterial injury in the salt-induced hypertensive rats. In contrast, trichloromethiazide, which decreased blood pressure to the same extent as cicletanine, lowered urinary PGl2 excretion and generally did not ameliorate the deteriorated renal functions and morphological abnormalities. Thus, these data indicate that cicletanine ameliorates the development of hypertension in Dahl-S rats and protects the cardiovascular and renal systems against the injuries seen in the hypertension. The enhanced vasodepressor PGl2 synthesis probably participates, to some extent, in these beneficial properties of long-term cicletanine treatment.

Antihypertensive effects of 2-octynyladenosine (YT-146), a selective adenosine A2 receptor agonist, in Dahl salt-sensitive rats.

The antihypertensive effects of a novel adenosine A2 receptor agonist, 2-octynyl adenosine (YT-146), were evaluated in Dahl salt-sensitive rats. After rats were fed a high-salt (8% NaCl) diet for 2 or 3 weeks, they received oral YT-146 (0.1 or 1.0 mg/kg) or vehicle as a single dose (acute study) or once daily for 10 days (chronic study). In the acute study, tail-cuff blood pressure (BP) and pulse rate (PR) were measured before and 3, 6, and 24 h after administration, and blood samples were collected 3 h after administration. In the chronic study, BP and PR were measured 3 and 24 h after administration and urine was collected for 24 h on day 9. Blood samples were also collected 3 h after administration on day 10. BP was significantly lowered by 1.0 mg/kg of YT-146 in either the acute study (from 184 +/- 3 to 152 +/- 5 mm Hg, P < .01) or the chronic study (from 226 +/- 4 to 201 +/- 2 mm Hg, P < .01), while an increase in PR was not observed (acute study: from 382 +/- 8 to 366 +/- 3 beats/min; chronic study: from 420 +/- 8 to 411 +/- 8 beats/min). YT-146 had no effect on plasma renin activity (PRA), plasma aldosterone, vasopressin (ADH), and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in the acute study.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Possible role of prostacyclin synthase in altered prostacyclin generation in DOCA-salt hypertensive rats.

Prostacyclin (PGI2) synthase is one of the key enzymes for vasodepressor PGI2 biosynthesis in the vascular wall. In this study, we attempted to define the alterations in PGI2 synthase and its role in the PGI2 generation in the vascular wall of deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt rats. The PGI2-generating capacity was enhanced significantly when DOCA-salt rats established hypertension, whereas the generation of other arachidonate metabolites, eg, PGE2, PGF2 alpha, and thromboxane, was unaltered. Moreover, the increase in PGI2 generation was associated with an increase in PGI2 synthase activity in the vascular wall. Indeed, the averaged PGI2 generating capacity was closely correlated to the averaged PGI2 synthase activity in DOCA-salt hypertensive rats and three lines of control rats. Incontrast, phospholipase C and phospholipase A2, both of which liberate arachidonate for PGI2 synthesis, were rather lowered in DOCA-salt hypertensive rats. These data clearly indicate that vascular PGI2 generation is increased in the development of DOCA-salt hypertension and that PGI2 synthase is mainly responsible for this enhancement. The increased PGI2 synthase may be relevant to the blood pressure elevation and is expected to have beneficial effects on the vascular protection in hypertension.

Possible radical scavenging properties of cicletanine and renal protection in Dahl salt sensitive rats.

Much interest in cicletanine, a novel antihypertensive drug, has grown because it uniquely stimulates prostacyclin (PGI2) production and may, thereby, provide further cardiovascular protection. We postulated that cicletanine may be an antioxidant, and assessed its ability to protect the kidney in Dahl salt-sensitive (Dahl S) rats on a high salt diet. Cicletanine eradicated in vitro a stable radical, DPPH, and decreased the lipid peroxidation both in rat brain homogenate and in a xanthine-xanthine oxidase (X-XOD) superoxide generating system. Furthermore, cicletanine attenuated the inhibition of PGI2 synthase activity by 15HPETE. However, cicletanine did not exhibit superoxide dismutase-like activity in X-XOD system, suggesting that it behaves primarily as a hydroxy radical scavenger. A 6 week cicletanine treatment reduced blood pressure in Dahl S rats fed a high salt diet, and ameliorated functional and morphological injury to the kidney. This attenuation of glomerular sclerosis correlated with the attenuation of lipid peroxidation in the kidney homogenate. These data indicate that cicletanine is an antioxidant that protects the kidney from salt-induced hypertension in Dahl salt-sensitive strain rats.

Alpha 1-adrenergic receptors in cardiac ventricles of Dahl rats.

This study was designed to examine the effects of sex, age, and a high-salt diet on cardiac alpha 1-adrenoceptors in an animal model of genetic hypertension, the Dahl salt-sensitive rat. Ventricular alpha 1-adrenoceptors were measured by radioligand binding with [3H]prazosin in membrane fractions in Dahl S and R rats of 7, 12, and 15 weeks of age. In both S and R rats, the maximal binding (Bmax) of alpha 1-adrenoceptor binding was greater in male than in female rats. The Bmax decreased with age in both the S and R strains; at 12 weeks of age, Bmax was approximately one-half of that observed at 7 weeks of age in both S and R strains. In the rats fed a high-salt diet, the Bmax tended to be greater in S rats than in R rats at 12 weeks of age and this difference became significant at 15 weeks of age. A significant positive correlation was found between the Bmax and the heart-to-body weight ratio in the Dahl S and R rats. The dissociation constant (Kd) was not different between male S and R rats at each age. These results suggest that the ventricular alpha 1-adrenoceptor may be involved in cardiac hypertrophy in Dahl rats.

Enhanced inhibitory effect of alpha 2-adrenoceptor stimulation on the formation of cAMP in glomeruli of spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Renal alpha 2-adrenoceptors are known to be increased in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) compared with Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). To investigate whether this difference affects the second messenger system, we examined the effect of alpha 2-adrenoceptor stimulation on the formation of cAMP in microdissected glomeruli and proximal convoluted tubules obtained from the kidneys of SHR and WKY. The formation of glomerular cAMP, which was stimulated by parathyroid hormone (PTH), was inhibited by alpha 2-adrenoceptor stimulation. In contrast, the inhibitory effect of alpha 2-adrenoceptor stimulation on PTH-induced cAMP formation in proximal convoluted tubules was not significantly different between SHR and WKY. These results confirm the inhibitory action of alpha 2-adrenoceptors on the formation of cAMP in glomeruli and proximal tubules and suggest that the greater inhibitory effect on glomerular cAMP formation in SHR may reflect an increase in alpha 2-adrenoceptor density in SHR kidneys.

Long-term infusion of kallikrein attenuates renal injury in Dahl salt-sensitive rats.

We investigated whether long-term infusion of kallikrein would attenuate renal injury in salt-induced hypertension in Dahl salt-sensitive (Dahl S) rats. A subdepressor dose of purified rat urinary kallikrein (RUK) (700 ng/day) was infused intravenously by an osmotic minipump for 4 weeks in male Dahl S rats fed a high-salt (2% NaCl) diet. This dose did not affect the time-dependent elevation of blood pressure. However, urinary protein excretion was significantly decreased, and the glomerular filtration rate was increased. These beneficial effects were reflected morphologically by an attenuation of the glomerulosclerotic lesions and tubular injury seen in the hypertensive Dahl S rats. The kallikrein infusion increased the urinary excretion of bradykinin and stimulated the excretion of cyclic GMP, suggesting that the kallikrein-kinin-prostaglandin and nitric oxide axes were enhanced by the RUK infusion. The alterations induced by such infusion were potentiated by the concomitant administration of the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor alacepril. These studies indicated that long-term replacement with rat tissue kallikrein attenuates renal injury in hypertensive Dahl S rats, and this is probably mediated by an enhanced function of the kallikrein-kinin-prostaglandin and nitric oxide systems.