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Role of aldosterone in postmenopausal hypertension
Author(s) -
Yanes Licy L
Publication year - 2009
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.23.1_supplement.968.8
Subject(s) - mineralocorticoid receptor , endocrinology , medicine , aldosterone , eplerenone , aldosterone synthase , mineralocorticoid , blood pressure , glucocorticoid receptor , corticosterone , receptor , spironolactone , renin–angiotensin system , hormone
Postmenopausal women have higher blood pressure (BP) than premenopausal ones. However, the mechanisms that mediate the BP increase after menopause are unclear. The present study was performed to test the hypothesis that an increase in plasma aldosterone partially mediates hypertension in old female SHR (OF‐SHR), a rat model of postmenopausal hypertension. The mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist, eplerenone (100 mg/kg/12 h), was administered by gavage for 2 weeks to OF‐SHR (n=7), aged 16 mos, and to young female SHR (YF‐SHR), aged 4 mos. BP was measured by radiotelemetry. In another set of rats, adrenal glands and kidneys were removed for determination of aldosterone synthase and mineralocorticoid receptor mRNA expression by real‐time RT‐PCR . Blood samples were taken for determination of plasma aldosterone levels by ELISA. Eplerenone decreased BP (‐20 mm Hg) in OF‐SHR (p<0.05) but not in YF‐SHR. Plasma aldosterone was elevated in OF‐SHR compared with YF‐SHR (135.62±21.7 vs. 186.44±31.36 ng/dl, p<0.05), and mineralocorticoid receptor mRNA expression was decreased 50% in kidney of OF‐SHR. Aldosterone synthase mRNA expression was 2 fold increases in adrenal gland in OF‐SHR compared to YF‐SHR. This study shows that aldosterone plays an important role in mediating postmenopausal hypertension in OF‐SHR, likely due to adrenal aldosterone synthase‐mediated increases in plasma aldosterone. This study was supported by American Heart Association Scientist Development Award 0830239N.