The glucocorticoid receptor is required for experimental adrenocorticotrophic hormone-induced hypertension in mice.

1. In the present study, we have (i) measured basal blood pressure by telemetry in wild-type (WT) and glucocorticoid receptor knockout (GRKO) mice; (ii) investigated whether or not adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) can induce hypertension in GRKO mice; and (iii) investigated the effect of mineralocortocoid receptor blockade on the cardiovascular physiology of GRKO mice. 2. Male WT and GRKO mice were treated with ACTH (2mg/kg per day s.c.) or spironolactone (100mg/kg per day s.c.) for 1-2weeks. Blood pressure (BP) was measured using a radiotelemetry system. Urinary Na:K, blood glucose concentrations and haematocrit were also measured during the treatment period. 3. Baseline systolic blood pressure (SBP) was higher in GRKO mice (126±4 mmHg, mean±SEM, n=11) than WT mice (114±2mmHg, n=10; P<0.05). There was no significant difference in baseline haematocrit, blood glucose and urine Na:K ratio in WT and GRKO mice. ACTH raised SBP in WT (135±8mmHg, n=8; P<0.05), but not in GRKO mice (113±9mmHg, n=6). Spironolactone treatment did not alter SBP. 4. Basal SBP was higher in GRKO than WT mice; ACTH raised blood pressure in WT, but not GRKO mice; and spironolactone did not alter BP in GRKO or WT mice. These data, together with a previous study showing both ACTH and corticosterone are increased in GRKO mice, show that the GR is required for the development of ACTH-induced hypertension in mice. Increased endogenous ACTH levels in this model might contribute to the increased basal SBP in GRKO mice, possibly through residual fragments of GR. Mineralocorticoid receptors do not appear to play a critical role in maintaining BP in glucocorticoid receptor deficient mice.

N-Acetylcysteine prevents but does not reverse dexamethasone-induced hypertension.

1. We have shown previously that N-acetylcysteine (NAC) prevents the increase in blood pressure induced by adrenocorticotropin treatment. The present study investigated the effect of NAC on dexamethasone (Dex)-induced hypertension. 2. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into six groups (n = 10 in each). In a prevention study, NAC (10 g/L in the drinking water) was given for 4 days prior to and 11 days during concurrent treatment with saline (0.1 mL/rat per day) or with Dex (10 mg/rat per day). In a reversal study, daily injections of Dex or saline began 8 days before NAC and cotreatment continued for 5 days. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was measured on alternate days using a tail-cuff system. 3. Dexamethasone significantly increased SBP from 113 +/- 4 to 139 +/- 6 mmHg (n = 10; P < 0.01). N-Acetylcysteine alone had no effect on SBP. In NAC + Dex-treated rats, SBP was significantly lower than that of Dex-treated rats (P cent < 0.01). In fully established Dex-hypertension NAC was ineffective and SBP remained high. 4. Both Dex and NAC treatments decreased bodyweight gain. N-Acetylcysteine reduced food and water consumption. Dexamethasone reduced thymus weight (P cent < 0.01) but NAC treatment did not alter this marker of glucocorticoid activity. 5. Dexamethasone tended to decrease plasma NO(x), whereas NAC restored plasma NO(x) concentrations to control levels. N-Acetylcysteine had no effect on Dex-induced increased plasma F(2)-isoprostane concentrations. 6. In conclusion, NAC partially prevented, but did not reverse, Dex-induced hypertension.

Effects of sepiapterin supplementation and NOS inhibition on glucocorticoid-induced hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Glucocorticoid-induced hypertension is associated with imbalance between nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide. One of the pathways that causes this imbalance is endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) uncoupling. In the present study, adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH)- and dexamethasone-treated rats were further treated with sepiapterin, a precursor of tetrahydrobiopterin, or N-nitro-L-arginine (NOLA), an inhibitor of NOS, to investigate the role of eNOS uncoupling in glucocorticoid-induced hypertension. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats (n = 7-13/group) were treated with either sepiapterin (5 mg/kg/day, IP) or saline (sham) 4 days before and during ACTH (0.2 mg/kg/day, SC), dexamethasone (0.03 mg/kg/day, SC), or saline treatment. NOLA (0.4 mg/ml in drinking water) was given to rats 4 days before and during dexamethasone treatment. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was measured by the tail-cuff method. RESULTS: Both ACTH (116 +/- 2 to 135 +/- 3 mm Hg (mean +/- s.e.m.), P < 0.001) and dexamethasone (114 +/- 4 to 133 +/- 3 mm Hg, P < 0.0005) increased SBP. Sepiapterin alone did not alter SBP. Sepiapterin did not prevent ACTH- (129 +/- 4 mm Hg, NS) or dexamethasone-induced hypertension (135 +/- 3 mm Hg, NS), although plasma total biopterin concentrations were increased. NOLA increased SBP in rats prior to dexamethasone or saline treatment. NOLA further increased SBP in both saline- (133 +/- 4 to 157 +/- 3 mm Hg, P < 0.05) and dexamethasone-treated rats (135 +/- 5 to 170 +/- 6 mm Hg, P < 0.05). ACTH and dexamethasone increased plasma F(2)-isoprostane concentrations. Neither sepiapterin nor NOLA significantly affected this marker of oxidative stress. CONCLUSION: Sepiapterin did not prevent ACTH- or dexamethasone-induced hypertension. NOLA exacerbated dexamethasone-induced hypertension. These data suggest that eNOS uncoupling does not play a major role in the genesis of glucocorticoid-induced hypertension in the rat.

The role of 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid in adrenocorticotrophic hormone and dexamethasone-induced hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) is a potent constrictor in small arteries and also has natriuretic properties. Urinary 20-HETE excretion is increased in adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH)-induced hypertensive rats. In the present study, we investigated the effect of a specific enzyme inhibitor of 20-HETE production, N-hydroxy-N'-(4-butyl-2-methylphenyl) formamidine (HET0016), on glucocorticoid-induced hypertension in rats, a sodium-independent model. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with physiological saline (0.9% NaCl), ACTH (0.2 mg/kg per day) or dexamethasone (0.03 mg/rat per day) subcutaneously for 13 days. HET0016 (10 mg/kg per day) or its vehicle (10% lecithin in physiological saline) was coadministered (intraperitoneally) a day before (prevention study) or at day 8 of treatment (reversal studies). Systolic blood pressure was measured by the tail-cuff method. RESULTS: Relative to physiological saline, systolic blood pressure was increased by ACTH (P < 0.001) and dexamethasone (P < 0.01). HET0016 reversed ACTH-induced (P < 0.01) but not dexamethasone-induced hypertension. HET0016 also prevented the development of hypertension induced by ACTH (P < 0.01). ACTH, but not dexamethasone, increased renal microsome 20-HETE formation and plasma F2-isoprostane concentrations. HET0016 inhibited renal 20-HETE formation but had no effect on plasma F2-isoprostane concentrations or renal cytochrome P450 4A1 expression. CONCLUSION: Inhibition of 20-HETE production by HET0016 prevents and reverses ACTH-induced but not dexamethasone-induced hypertension. These results suggest that 20-HETE may play a role in the genesis of ACTH-induced hypertension but not in dexamethasone-induced hypertension.

Role of xanthine oxidase in dexamethasone-induced hypertension in rats.

1. Glucocorticoid-induced hypertension (GC-HT) in the rat is associated with nitric oxide-redox imbalance. 2. We studied the role of xanthine oxidase (XO), which is implicated in the production of reactive oxygen species, in dexamethasone-induced hypertension (dex-HT). 3. Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided randomly into four treatment groups: saline, dexamethasone (dex), allopurinol plus saline, and allopurinol plus dex. 4. Systolic blood pressures (SBP) and bodyweights were recorded each alternate day. Thymus weight was used as a marker of glucocorticoid activity, and serum urate to assess XO inhibition. 5. Dex increased SBP (110 +/- 2-126 +/- 3 mmHg; P < 0.001) and decreased thymus (P < 0.001) and bodyweights (P" < 0.01). Allopurinol decreased serum urate from 76 +/- 5 to 30 +/- 3 micromol/L (P < 0.001) in saline and from 84 +/- 13 to 28 +/- 2 micromol/L in dex-treated (P < 0.01) groups. 6. Allopurinol did not prevent dex-HT. This, together with our previous findings that allopurinol failed to prevent adrenocorticotrophic hormone induced hypertension, suggests that XO activity is not a major determinant of GC-HT in the rat.