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Splenectomy Increases Blood Pressure and Alters the Renal T Cell Profile in a Sex‐Specific Manner in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats
Author(s) -
Gillis Ellen E.,
Sullivan Jennifer C.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.2019.33.1_supplement.758.10
Subject(s) - splenectomy , medicine , blood pressure , immune system , foxp3 , spleen , analysis of variance , endocrinology , kidney , immunology
Over the past decade there has been increasing evidence for the role of the immune system in the development of hypertension. Our lab has previously reported that female Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats (SHR) have a blood pressure (BP)‐dependent increase in anti‐inflammatory regulatory T cells (Tregs), corresponding to lower BP compared to males. Based on the central role for immune cells in the control of BP and the known sex differences in the immune cell profile, the current study was designed to test the hypothesis that removal of the spleen will have a sex‐specific impact on BP in SHR. To test this hypothesis, baseline systolic BP was measured by tail cuff plethysmyography in male and female SHR. Rats were randomized to receive sham surgery (CON) or splenectomy (SPLNX, n=3). After 2 weeks, BP was recorded again and kidneys were harvested for flow cytometric analysis of T cells. BP was significantly higher in males compared to females at baseline and at Week 2 (Table, Effect of sex, p=0.0002 and p=0.0001, respectively, 2‐Way ANOVA). Splenectomy increased BP in both sexes after 2 weeks (Effect of SPLNX, p=0.0008), with females having a greater increase in BP than males (Interaction effect, p=0.05). Splenectomy did not alter total CD4 + cells in the kidney, but did affect the subpopulations of CD4 + cells. Renal Tregs (CD3 + CD4 + FoxP3 + cells, expressed as % CD3 + CD4 + ) decreased in both sexes after splenectomy, abolishing the sex differences in renal Tregs (Table, Effect of SPLNX, p<0.001, Interaction effect, p=0.0015). Renal pro‐inflammatory Th17 cells (CD3 + CD4 + RORγ + cells, expressed as % CD3 + CD4 + ) increased in both sexes with splenectomy (Table, Effect of SPLNX, p<0.001). In conclusion, removing the spleen in male and female SHR significantly increased BP, with females having a greater increase in BP compared to males. Interestingly, this greater increase in BP in the female was accompanied by a greater reduction in renal Tregs, supporting the idea that renal Tregs play a critical role in BP control in female SHR, contributing to the sex difference in BP. Ongoing studies in the laboratory are further exploring the mechanisms for the relative increase in renal Tregs in females. Support or Funding Information This work was funded by AHA18POST34030252 to EEG and 5R01HL127091 to JCS. This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal .