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Down Regulation of Connexin37 in the Arteries of Human Rennin and Angiotensinogen Double Transgenic Mouse
Author(s) -
Lu Shijuan,
Huang Chenghui,
Zhang Wenfeng,
Sigmund Curt D.,
Elased Khalid M.,
Chen Yanfang
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.21.6.a1159-b
The gap junction connexin37 (Cx37) is expressed in the membrane of arterial endothelial cell (EC), and plays an important role in maintaining biophysical properties of artery. In this study we explored the possible effect of angiotensin II (Ang II) hypertension on the regulation of Cx37 expression. Adult male human rennin and angiotensinogen double transgenic (R+A+) and age‐matched wild‐type control (R‐A‐) mice were used. To verify the existence of hypertension in this model, the animals were implanted with radiotelemetric probes for measuring blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR). The Cx37 protein expression levels in the EC from carotid artery and in the thoracic artery from R+A+ and R‐A‐ mice was determined by confocal microscopic or western blot respectively. Results showed that the R+A+ mice were hypertensive with mean BP increased by 20–40 mmHg compared with R‐A‐. There was no difference in the HR between groups. The confocal microscopic result showed that Cx37 protein level was markedly reduced in the EC of carotid in R+A+ compared with that in R‐A‐ mice (see Fig). In accordance with the confocal data, the western blot result showed a 34.3% decrease of Cx37 protein in thoracic artery of R+A+ mice. These results suggested that the Cx37 is down regulated in the arteries of hypertensive R+A+ mice, which may be one mechanism involved in Ang II and hypertension induced EC injury.