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Eplerenone Prevents Cerebral Vessel Remodeling in Male Hypertensive Rats
Author(s) -
Rigsby Christine’ Spring,
Dorrance Anne M.
Publication year - 2007
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.a1389-a
Subject(s) - eplerenone , medicine , spironolactone , mineralocorticoid receptor , endocrinology , aldosterone , antagonist , blood pressure , lumen (anatomy) , cardiology , mineralocorticoid , receptor
Aldosterone, a mineralocorticoid, promotes deleterious remodeling of the cardiovascular system. Spironolactone, a non‐specific mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) antagonist, prevents remodeling of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) in male spontaneously hypertensive stroke‐prone rats (SHRSP). We hypothesized that eplerenone (EPL), a specific MR antagonist, would also prevent remodeling of the MCA of male SHRSP. Six week old male SHRSP were treated with EPL (100 mg/kg/day) for 6 weeks. MCA structure was analyzed using a pressurized arteriograph under passive (calcium‐free) conditions from 0 to 180 mmHg. Blood pressure (BP) was measured using telemetry or tail‐cuff plethysmography. Lumen and outer diameters were increased (Table) and wall/lumen ratios were decreased (p<0.05, ANOVA) compared to untreated SHRSP; wall area was unchanged (p>0.05, ANOVA), indicating that EPL treatment prevented MCA remodeling. BP was not different between groups (Table), indicating a BP independent effect. In conclusion, the data indicate that effects seen previously with spironolactone are MR specific and highlight the involvement of MR activation in cerebral vessel remodeling.