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Biomedical subjects

Dierk H Endemann

Publications and source records attributed to Dierk H Endemann.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Reduced vascular remodeling, endothelial dysfunction, and oxidative stress in resistance arteries of angiotensin II-infused macrophage colony-stimulating factor-deficient mice: evidence for a role in inflammation in angiotensin-induced vascular injury.

OBJECTIVE: Angiotensin (Ang) II-induced vascular damage may be partially mediated by reactive oxygen species generation and inflammation. Homozygous osteopetrotic mice (Op/Op), deficient in macrophage colony-stimulating factor (m-CSF), exhibit reduced inflammation. We therefore investigated Ang II effects on vascular structure, function, and oxidant stress generation in this model. METHODS AND RESULTS: Adult Op/Op, heterozygous (Op/+), and wild type (+/+) mice underwent 14-day Ang II (1000 ng/kg per minute) or saline infusion. Blood pressure (BP) was assessed by radiotelemetry, mesenteric resistance artery vascular reactivity was studied on a pressurized myograph, and vascular superoxide and NAD(P)H oxidase activity by lucigenin chemiluminescence. Ang II increased BP in Op/+ and +/+ mice but not in Op/Op. Ang II-treated Op/+ and +/+ mice showed reduced acetylcholine-mediated relaxation (maximal relaxation, respectively, 64% and 67% versus 84% and 93% in respective controls; P<0.05), which was unaffected by L-NAME. Ang II-infused Op/Op mice arteries showed significantly less endothelial dysfunction than vehicle-infused counterparts (maximal relaxation 87% versus 96% in shams). Resistance arteries from Ang II-infused +/+ and Op/+ mice had significantly increased media-to-lumen ratio and media thickness, neither of which was altered in Op/Op mice compared with untreated littermates. Vascular media cross-sectional area, NAD(P)H oxidase activity and expression, and vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1 expression were significantly increased by Ang II only in +/+ mice (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: m-CSF-deficient mice (Op/Op) developed less endothelial dysfunction, vascular remodeling, and oxidative stress induced by Ang II than +/+ littermates, suggesting a critical role of m-CSF and proinflammatory mediators in Ang II-induced vascular injury.

Angiotensin II↗

Eplerenone prevents salt-induced vascular remodeling and cardiac fibrosis in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats.

We examined the effect of different levels of salt intake on the role of aldosterone on cardiac and vascular changes in salt-loaded stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP). Eleven-week-old SHRSP were fed high-salt (4.2% NaCl), normal-salt (0.28%), or low-salt (0.03%) diets with or without eplerenone (100 mg/kg per day, in food) for 5 weeks. A group of high-salt SHRSP was also treated with hydralazine (25 mg/kg per day). Blood pressure increased more in high-salt rats than in other groups (P<0.001). Eplerenone prevented further blood pressure rise in salt-loaded rats, with little effect on control and low-salt SHRSP. Increased media-to-lumen ratio of mesenteric resistance arteries induced by salt (P<0.01) was prevented by eplerenone (P<0.01). Maximal acetylcholine-induced vasodilation was impaired under salt loading (P<0.01), but improved under eplerenone (P<0.01). Eplerenone prevented (P<0.01) increased heart weight and left and right ventricular collagen deposition induced by high salt. Blood pressure lowering by hydralazine in high-salt SHRSP did not influence endothelial function or left ventricular collagen. Our study demonstrates salt-dependency of aldosterone effects on severity of hypertension, endothelial dysfunction, and cardiac and vascular remodeling in SHRSP. These effects were attenuated by eplerenone, particularly in the salt-loaded state, underlining the pathophysiological role of aldosterone in salt-sensitive hypertension.

Acetylcholine↗

Persistent remodeling of resistance arteries in type 2 diabetic patients on antihypertensive treatment.

We hypothesized that resistance arteries from diabetic patients with controlled hypertension have less remodeling than vessels from untreated hypertensive subjects. Eight normotensive subjects (aged 44+/-3 years, 3 men; values are mean+/-SEM), 19 untreated hypertensive subjects (46+/-2 years, 9 men), and 23 hypertensive subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus under antihypertensive treatment (58+/-1 years, 15 men) were studied. Resistance arteries dissected from gluteal subcutaneous tissue were assessed on a pressurized myograph. Most diabetic patients (70%) were being treated with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. Although systolic blood pressure was still above the normotensive range in these patients (144+/-2 versus 150+/-3 mm Hg in hypertensive and 114+/-4 mm Hg in normotensive subjects), diastolic blood pressure was well controlled (83+/-2 mm Hg) and significantly lower compared with that in untreated hypertensives (100+/-1 mm Hg; P<0.001) but higher than in normotensives (76+/-3 mm Hg; P<0.05). Thus, pulse pressure was higher in diabetic patients (P<0.05). The media-to-lumen ratio of resistance arteries was greater in hypertensives (0.083+/-0.002) compared with normotensive controls (0.059+/-0.003; P<0.05) and was even higher in diabetic hypertensive subjects (0.105+/-0.004; P<0.001 versus normotensive controls). The medial cross-sectional area was greater in diabetic and hypertensive patients compared with normotensive controls (P<0.001). Acetylcholine-induced relaxation was impaired in vessels from hypertensive patients and from patients with both diabetes mellitus and hypertension (P<0.05 versus normotensive controls), whereas endothelium-independent vasorelaxation was similar in all groups. Despite effective antihypertensive treatment, resistance arteries from hypertensive diabetic patients showed marked remodeling, greater than that of vessels from untreated, nondiabetic, hypertensive subjects, in agreement with the high cardiovascular risk of subjects suffering from both diabetes and hypertension.

Adult↗

Nitric oxide, oxidative excess, and vascular complications of diabetes mellitus.

The prevalence of diabetes mellitus is rising worldwide and has reached epidemic dimensions. Diabetes mellitus places patients at high cardiovascular risk. High blood glucose levels, altered insulin signaling, reactive oxygen species (ROS), inflammation, and protein kinase C activation might lead to a decrease in nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability. Diminished NO and enhanced oxidative stress play a central role in several pathophysiologic pathways, leading to vascular damage, such as endothelial dysfunction, vascular inflammation, atherosclerotic plaque formation and vulnerability, and promotion of a prothrombotic state. Possible sources of oxidative excess in diabetes are reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase, xanthine oxidase, uncoupled NO synthase, and the mitochondria. Advances in understanding the pathophysiologic mechanisms leading to vascular damage in diabetes will result in discovery of new therapeutic targets, which should help reduce cardiovascular risk in these patients.

Animals↗

Endothelial dysfunction.

Endothelial dysfunction is characterized by a shift of the actions of the endothelium toward reduced vasodilation, a proinflammatory state, and prothrombic properties. It is associated with most forms of cardiovascular disease, such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, chronic heart failure, peripheral artery disease, diabetes, and chronic renal failure. Mechanisms that participate in the reduced vasodilatory responses in endothelial dysfunction include reduced nitric oxide generation, oxidative excess, and reduced production of hyperpolarizing factor. Upregulation of adhesion molecules, generation of chemokines such as macrophage chemoattractant peptide-1, and production of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 participate in the inflammatory response and contribute to a prothrombic state. Vasoactive peptides such as angiotensin II and endothelin-1; the accumulation of asymmetric dimethylarginine, an endogenous nitric oxide inhibitor; hypercholesterolemia; hyperhomocysteinemia; altered insulin signaling; and hyperglycemia can contribute to these different mechanisms. Detachment and apoptosis of endothelial cells (anoikis) are associated phenomena. Endothelial dysfunction is an important early event in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, contributing to plaque initiation and progression. Reductions in circulating endothelial progenitor cells that participate in regeneration of the endothelium participate in endothelial pathophysiology. The severity of endothelial dysfunction has been shown to have prognostic value for cardiovascular events. Correction of endothelial dysfunction may be associated with reduced cardiovascular risk. Circulating endothelial progenitor cells may represent a potential therapeutic approach for endothelial dysfunction.

Animals↗

Adrenal aldosterone biosynthesis is elevated in a model of chronic renal failure--role of local adrenal renin-angiotensin system.

BACKGROUND: Aldosterone seems to play a role in the development of chronic renal failure and proteinuria. We investigated the adrenal aldosterone production and the adrenal renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in rats with 5/6 nephrectomy with and without spironolactone treatment. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats underwent 5/6, 4/6 nephrectomy, heminephrectomy and sham operation. After 1 and 4 weeks creatinine clearance, urinary protein excretion, plasma aldosterone concentration, and plasma renin activity were measured. In adrenals mRNA expression of aldosterone synthase (CYP11B2) and genes of the RAS were measured. RESULTS: Creatinine clearance was significantly decreased and proteinuria significantly elevated in 5/6 nephrectomy. Treatment with spironolactone significantly reduced proteinuria after 8 but not after 30 days. With reduction of renal mass, renal renin mRNA and plasma renin activity were reduced significantly. In early 5/6 nephrectomy plasma aldosterone concentration was increased and in parallel adrenal CYP11B2 mRNA was increased significantly. Both were further augmented by spironolactone. Adrenal renin was up-regulated in 5/6 nephrectomy and further stimulated with spironolactone, possibly serving as a stimulus for the adrenal aldosterone synthesis. CONCLUSION: In early chronic renal failure after 5/6 nephrectomy adrenal aldosterone production is elevated despite a marked decrease of plasma renin activity. An up-regulated adrenal RAS may contribute to the observed increase in aldosterone.

Adrenal Glands↗