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Stress‐induced hypertension promotes T lymphocyte activation and vascular inflammation
Author(s) -
Marvar Paul J,
Vinh Antony,
Thabet Salim,
Geem Duke,
Ressler Kerry J,
Harrison David G
Publication year - 2011
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.25.1_supplement.1030.6
Subject(s) - inflammation , immune system , medicine , angiotensin ii , adoptive cell transfer , lymphocyte , endocrinology , blood pressure , chronic stress , cd3 , immunology , t lymphocyte , cd69 , infiltration (hvac) , t cell , il 2 receptor , cd8 , physics , thermodynamics
We have shown that the central nervous system plays a role in the development of vascular inflammation and T lymphocyte activation during hypertension. Psychological stress is a risk factor for hypertension and also has a profound impact on the immune system. We hypothesized that T lymphocytes are involved in chronic stress‐induced hypertension. To test this hypothesis, C57Bl/6 mice were exposed to daily restraint combined with cage switch stresses for one week. Following this 7 day stress protocol, blood pressure was increased in the stressed group (125 ± 1.1 mmHg) compared to control (117 ± 1.3 mmHg) and this was severely augmented by low‐dose angiotensin II infusion (140 ng/kg/min). This increase in blood pressure was absent in mice lacking T and B cells (RAG‐1 −/− ) and could be restored following adoptive transfer of T cells. As determined by FACS analysis, the total number of circulating CD4+ cells expressing the early activation marker CD69 (Control:7.7 ± 1.4 vs Stress:12.7 ± 1.2) and CD44 (Control:17.1 ± 1.3 vs Stress:22.8 ± 1.1 ) was increased following stress. The aortic infiltration of total leukocytes (CD45+) and T cells (CD3+) was also increased by stress and low‐dose angiotensin II severely augmented this vascular inflammation. These data indicate that stress leads to immune cell activation, which in turn promotes hypertension.