TY - JOUR
T1 - Increased expression of urotensin II, urotensin II-related peptide and urotensin II receptor mRNAs in the cardiovascular organs of hypertensive rats
T2 - Comparison with endothelin-1
AU - Hirose, Takuo
AU - Takahashi, Kazuhiro
AU - Mori, Nobuyoshi
AU - Nakayama, Takashi
AU - Kikuya, Masahiro
AU - Ohkubo, Takayoshi
AU - Kozuki, Masahiro
AU - Totsune, Kazuhito
AU - Imai, Yutaka
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors are grateful to Prof. Hironobu Sasano and the staff members of the Department of Pathology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine for their technical assistance, to Ms. Kumi Kikuchi for her technical assistance, and to the Biomedical Research Core of Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine for the use of their equipment. This study was supported partly by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C) from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture of Japan, by Tohoku University 21st Century Center of Excellence Program “Comprehensive Research and Education Center for Planning of Drug Development and Clinical Evaluation (CRESCENDO)”, by Grant-in-Aid for Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) fellows, and by a Research Grant from the Takeda Science Foundation (2005).
PY - 2009/6
Y1 - 2009/6
N2 - Urotensin II (UII) and urotensin II-related peptide (URP) are novel vasoactive peptides that share urotensin II receptor (UT). We have recently reported that expressions of URP and UT were up-regulated in kidneys of rats with renal failure or hypertension. To clarify possible changes of the UII system expression in cardiovascular organs with hypertension, we examined the gene expression of UII, URP and UT in hearts and aortae of hypertensive rats. Furthermore, the expression was compared with that of endothelin-1 (ET-1). Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that expression levels of UII mRNA and UT mRNA were significantly elevated in the atrium of 11-12-week-old spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) compared with age-matched Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). Moreover, UT mRNA expression was elevated in the ventricle of 11-12-week-old SHR. In the aorta, expression levels of URP mRNA and UT mRNA were significantly elevated in 11-12-week-old SHR compared with age-matched WKY, similarly to those in the kidney. In contrast, expression levels of ET-1 were significantly decreased in both the heart and the kidney of 11-12-week-old SHR compared with age-matched WKY. Immunohistochemistry showed that URP and UT were immunostained in cardiomyocytes, with weaker immunostaining in vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells, in both SHR and WKY. These findings indicate that the gene expression of the UII system components (UII, URP and UT) and ET-1 is differently regulated in hypertension, and that the UII system in the heart and aortae may have certain pathophysiological roles in hypertension.
AB - Urotensin II (UII) and urotensin II-related peptide (URP) are novel vasoactive peptides that share urotensin II receptor (UT). We have recently reported that expressions of URP and UT were up-regulated in kidneys of rats with renal failure or hypertension. To clarify possible changes of the UII system expression in cardiovascular organs with hypertension, we examined the gene expression of UII, URP and UT in hearts and aortae of hypertensive rats. Furthermore, the expression was compared with that of endothelin-1 (ET-1). Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that expression levels of UII mRNA and UT mRNA were significantly elevated in the atrium of 11-12-week-old spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) compared with age-matched Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). Moreover, UT mRNA expression was elevated in the ventricle of 11-12-week-old SHR. In the aorta, expression levels of URP mRNA and UT mRNA were significantly elevated in 11-12-week-old SHR compared with age-matched WKY, similarly to those in the kidney. In contrast, expression levels of ET-1 were significantly decreased in both the heart and the kidney of 11-12-week-old SHR compared with age-matched WKY. Immunohistochemistry showed that URP and UT were immunostained in cardiomyocytes, with weaker immunostaining in vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells, in both SHR and WKY. These findings indicate that the gene expression of the UII system components (UII, URP and UT) and ET-1 is differently regulated in hypertension, and that the UII system in the heart and aortae may have certain pathophysiological roles in hypertension.
KW - Endothelin-1
KW - Immunohistochemistry
KW - Polymerase chain reaction
KW - Urotensin II
KW - Urotensin II-related peptide
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U2 - 10.1016/j.peptides.2009.02.009
DO - 10.1016/j.peptides.2009.02.009
M3 - Article
C2 - 19463745
AN - SCOPUS:65549161827
VL - 30
SP - 1124
EP - 1129
JO - Peptides
JF - Peptides
SN - 0196-9781
IS - 6
ER -