Resveratrol improved kidney function and structure in malignantly hypertensive rats by restoration of antioxidant capacity and nitric oxide bioavailability

BACKGROUND

The main cause of death among patients with malignant hypertension is a kidney failure. The promising field in essential and malignant hypertension therapy could be centered on the amelioration of oxidative stress using antioxidant molecules like resveratrol. Resveratrol is a potent antioxidative agent naturally occurred in many plants that possess health-promoting properties.

METHODS

In the present study, we investigated the therapeutic potential of resveratrol, a polyphenol with anti-oxidative activity, in N^G-L-Arginine Methyl Ester (L-NAME) treated spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) - malignantly hypertensive rats (MHR).

RESULTS

Resveratrol significantly improves oxidative damages by modulation of antioxidant enzymes and suppression of prooxidant factors in the kidney tissue of MHR. Enhanced antioxidant defense in the kidney improves renal function and ameliorates the morphological changes in this target organ. Besides, protective properties of resveratrol are followed by the restoration of the nitrogen oxide (NO) pathway. 4) Conclusion: Antioxidant therapy with resveratrol could represent promising therapeutical approach in hypertension, especially malignant, against kidney damage.

Resveratrol Protects Cardiac Tissue in Experimental Malignant Hypertension Due to Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and Anti-Apoptotic Properties

Hypertension is one of the most prevalent and powerful contributors of cardiovascular diseases. Malignant hypertension is a relatively rare but extremely severe form of hypertension accompanied with heart, brain, and renal impairment. Resveratrol, a recently described grape-derived, polyphenolic antioxidant molecule, has been proposed as an effective agent in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. This study was designed to examine chronic resveratrol administration on blood pressure, oxidative stress, and inflammation, with special emphasis on cardiac structure and function in two models of experimental hypertension. The experiments were performed in spontaneously (SHRs) and malignantly hypertensive rats (MHRs). The chronic administration of resveratrol significantly decreased blood pressure in both spontaneously and malignant hypertensive animals. The resveratrol treatment ameliorated morphological changes in the heart tissue. The immunohistochemistry of the heart tissue after resveratrol treatment showed that both TGF-β and Bax were not present in the myocytes of SHRs and were present mainly in the myocytes of MHRs. Resveratrol suppressed lipid peroxidation and significantly improved oxidative status and release of NO. These results suggest that resveratrol prevents hypertrophic and apoptotic consequences induced by high blood pressure with more pronounced effects in malignant hypertension.

Effects of angiotensin II type-1 receptor blocker losartan on age-related cardiovascular risk in spontaneously hypertensive rats

Ageing and hypertension are the major risk factors for the development of cardiovascular and renal diseases, and the renin-angiotensin system has been shown responsible for these pathologies. Thus, the aim of this study was to compare the effects of losartan, angiotensin II type-1 receptor blocker, on systolic (SBP), diastolic (DBP), and mean (MBP) blood pressure, pulse pressure (PP) and heart rate as well as regional haemodynamics, cardiac hypertrophy and biochemical parameters in adult (L(9): 9-month-old) and aged (L(18): 18-month-old) spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). Aged match untreated SHRs served as controls (U(9): 9-month-old and U(18): 18-month-old). Aortal blood flow and resistance were significantly improved by losartan treatment in L(9) vs. U(9) (p < 0.05). In aged SHRs, losartan significantly reduced SBP, MBP, PP, right ventricle weight index, and improved age-related impairment of left ventricular weight index (U(18): 4.21 +/- 0.09 mg/g vs. U(9): 3.54 +/- 0.34 mg/g, p < 0.05 and vs. L(18): 3.65 +/- 0.07 mg/g, p < 0.001), carotid, renal, and aortal vascular resistance, and glomerular filtration rate (U(18): 2.75 +/- 0.27 ml/min/kg vs. U(9): 4.84 +/- 0.85 ml/min/kg, p < 0.05 and vs. L(18): 3.65 +/- 0.07 ml/min/kg, p < 0.05). These results demonstrate significantly impaired systemic and regional haemodynamics and left ventricular hypertrophy in old SHRs. Losartan decreased age and hypertension associated cardiovascular risk by decreasing vascular resistance and pressure overload, ventricular hypertrophy, and preserving kidney function.

The effects of iron-containing superoxide dismutases on haemodynamic parameters in spontaneously hypertensive rats

The product of FeSOD activity is hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Furthermore, FeSOD can modify the chemical versatility of NO into its redox-active forms: nitrosonium cation (NO+) and nitroxyl anion (NO-). All of these low molecular weight species are vasoactive and, in particular, NO- induces calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) synthesis (known to be the most potent relaxation-promoting peptide). In this study the effects of bolus infusions of iron-containing superoxide dismutase (FeSOD) and of superoxide dismutase containing both iron and manganese (FeMnSOD) on the arterial blood pressure (MAP), the arterial blood pressure (CO) and the total vascular resistance (TVR) in spontaneously hypertensive (SH) rats were determined. Bolus infusion of FeSOD induced a biphasic response in the MAP (an initial increase was followed by a significant decrease). At the end of the experiment the MAP returned to its basal value. FeMnSOD (the enzymatically inactive form of FeSOD) had no effect on the MAP in these experiments. Bolus infusions of FeSOD and of FeMnSOD had no effect either on the both the CO or on the TVR in SH rats. Our results indicate that arterial relaxation changes mediated by NO- may be important for regulation of blood pressure in SH rats.

L-arginine reduces tubular cell injury in acute post-ischaemic renal failure

BACKGROUND

The pathophysiology of renal ischaemia, resulting in tubular cell injury and leading to acute renal failure (ARF), remains unclear. An ever-increasing number of investigations focus on a possible role of nitric oxide (NO) in regulating circulation during ARF. In this context, we investigated the influence of chronic stimulation or inhibition of NO synthesis, or both, on haemodynamic parameters, histology and plasma renin activity (PRA) after ischaemia-reperfusion injury of rat kidneys.

METHODS

Experiments were performed on adult, male Wistar rats. Before induction of ARF, a group of animals was treated with a NO synthesis inhibitor (L-NAME) and another group was treated with a precursor of NO synthesis (L-arginine). The animals received those substances for 4 weeks. Control groups received the same amount of tap water for 4 or 8 weeks and were divided into groups with ARF (4 weeks--ARF group and 8 weeks ARF group) and a sham-operated group. Another group of rats was treated first with L-NAME and then with L-arginine in their drinking water, for 4 weeks for each of these two substances. All parameters were evaluated 24 h after the induction of ischaemic ARF or the sham operation.

RESULTS

Our results show that such long-term stimulation of NO release by L-arginine improved renal haemodynamics in the ischaemic form of ARF. Renal blood flow (RBF) increased by 96% in the L-arginine-treated rats with ARF compared with the group with ARF alone. Inhibition of NO synthesis worsens renal haemodynamics after ARF. However, this aggravation can be reversed by L-arginine. The rate of water reabsorption was reduced in all groups with ARF, but this reduction was least in the group treated with L-arginine. The rate of Na+ reabsorption was reduced in all groups 24 h after renal ischaemia, but a significant decrease was observed after the inhibition of NO synthesis. Histological examination of the kidney specimens showed that morphological changes were least in the rats treated with L-arginine, when compared with all other groups with ARF. Nevertheless, the lesions were most prominent in the L-NAME+ARF group. In this group, the areas of corticomedullar necrosis were more widespread in comparison with other groups, especially the L-arginine group where only swelling of the proximal tubular cells was observed. Treatment with L-NAME was not accompanied by any significant alteration in the plasma concentration of angiotensin I (ANG I), while in the group treated with L-arginine ANG I had a tendency to decrease.

CONCLUSIONS

Acute post-ischaemic renal failure may be alleviated by administering the NO substrate (L-arginine). NO acts cytoprotectively on tubular epithelial cells in ischaemia--reperfusion injury of rat kidney. Evidence of this comes from both histopathological findings and increased tubular water and sodium reabsorption. However, inhibition of NO synthesis (provoked by L-NAME) worsens renal haemodynamics and aggravates morphological changes after ARF. These aggravations can, however, be reversed by L-arginine.

Factors affecting the ability of the renal medulla to exert an antihypertensive function

To examine whether changes in renomedullary osmolality and the activity of the renin-angiotensin system may influence the ability of the renal medulla to exert an antihypertensive function, rats were exposed to several manoeuvers. These affected either the medullary osmolality or the renin-angiotensin system (salt or saccharose load, salt depletion, treatment with captopril alone or in combination with salt depletion). A comparison of the antihypertensive capacity of the renal medulla was studied by transplanting renal medullae from the various groups into one-kidney one-clip hypertensive rats. A significant and quantitatively similar reduction in blood pressure was observed in hypertensive rats that received transplants of the medullae from control, salt or saccharose loaded rats and captopril treated rats. In contrast, medullae from salt depleted rats did not affect blood pressure when transplanted into hypertensive animals. The addition of captopril restored the antihypertensive function of renal medulla in salt depleted rats. The results do not support the view that osmolality of the renal medulla regulates its antihypertensive capacity, and suggest that angiotensin II may restrain renomedullary antihypertensive function.

Mitotic activity and cell deletion in ventral prostate epithelium of intact and castrated oxytocin-treated rats

Previous study has shown that oxytocin (OT) attenuated the postcastration regression of ventral prostate epithelium in rats. To decide if this effect is associated with stimulation of cell division or improvement of cell survival, metaphase index of secretory cells and frequency of apoptotic bodies in the epithelium, combined with stereological parameters, were determined in the present study. OT was injected subcutaneously in a dose of 0.25 IU/100 g/d during 5 postorchiectomal days and the same treatment was applied to intact rats. Only the prostate of castrated animals responded to OT. They had greater total volume of the epithelium, total number and metaphase index of secretory cells, but lower frequency of apoptotic bodies. These findings demonstrate the ability of OT to stimulate mitotic activity and to diminish mortality of secretory cells caused by orchiectomy.

The response of rat adrenal zona fasciculata and zona reticularis to oxytocin treatment

The response of the adrenal zona fasciculata (ZF) and zona reticularis (ZR) to oxytocin (OT) was examined in male rats using a stereological method. The 10-day administration of 0.25 IU OT/100 g daily caused an enlargement of ZF due to cell hypertrophy associated with striking lipid accumulation. The volume of ZR was decreased, this change being the consequence of the reduced cell population. The possible site of OT action is discussed.

Stereologic analysis of ventral prostate of oxytocin-treated rats

Ventral prostate response to oxytocin (OT) was examined in intact and castrated adult rats. The treatment consisted of 10 daily subcutaneous injections of 0.25 IU OT per 100 g body weight, which for orchiectomized rats began immediately after surgery. OT induced prostatic response only in castrated animals. Stereologic analysis revealed changes in the epithelial component, its total volume and surface being increased. The acinar lumen as well as the glandular weight were also enhanced. A possibility that the ventral prostate is the target organ for OT is discussed.

The response of rat adrenal medulla to oxytocin

Effects of oxytocin (OT) on the adrenal chromaffin tissue of male rats were examined by coupled morphometric and biochemical techniques. Synthetic OT was administered in doses of 0.14 and 0.25 IU/100 g/d during 7 or 10 consecutive days and the effects were followed 1, 24, 72 and 168 hours after the last injection. The function and structure of chromaffin cells were affected by the higher dose of OT only. They caused divergent responses on their amine contents. Adrenaline, noradrenaline and dopamine contents were increased, while serotonin content was decreased. These changes were different in duration and time of incidence. Stereological analysis showed an enhanced number of chromaffin cells and an increase in their total volume. The parallelism between the changes in chromaffin cell number and the catecholamine content strongly suggests a mitogenic effect of the applied OT.