Absence of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α abolishes hypertension and attenuates atherosclerosis in the Tsukuba hypertensive mouse

Karen M. Tordjman*, Clay F. Semenkovich, Trey Coleman, Rachel Yudovich, Stella Bak, Etty Osher, Michal Vechoropoulos, Naftali Stern

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

28 Scopus citations

Abstract

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α is widely distributed in the vasculature where it is believed to exert pleiotropic antiatherogenic effects. Its role in the regulation of blood pressure is still unresolved; however, some evidence suggests that it may affect the renin-angiotensin system. We investigated its role in angiotensin II-induced hypertension in the Tsukuba hypertensive mouse (THM). This is a model of hypertension and atherosclerosis because of high angiotensin II and aldosterone levels as a result of the transgenic expression of the entire human renin-angiotensin system. Making the THM animals deficient in Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (THM/PPARKO) totally abolished hypertension and myocardial hypertrophy. This was accompanied by a reduction in plasma human active renin in THM/PPARKO mice compared with THM animals from 3525±128 mU/L to 1910±750 mU/L (P<0.05) and by a normalization of serum aldosterone (1.6±0.29 nmol/L versus 3.4±0.69 nmol/L; P=0.003). In the THM/PPARKO mice, the extent of atherosclerosis at the aortic sinus after a 12-week period on an atherogenic diet was decreased by >80%. In addition, the spontaneous formation of foam cells from peritoneal macrophages, a blood pressure-independent event, was reduced by 92% in the THM/PPARKO mice, suggesting protection from the usual oxidative stress in these animals, possibly because of lower prevailing angiotensin II levels. Finally, chronic fenofibrate treatment further elevated blood pressure in THM animals but not in THM/PPARKO animals. Taken together, these data indicate that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α may regulate the renin-angiotensin system. They raise the possibility that its activation may aggravate hypertension and hasten atherosclerosis in the context of an activated renin-angiotensin system.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)945-951
Number of pages7
JournalHypertension
Volume50
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2007

Keywords

  • Angiotensin
  • Atherosclerosis
  • Hypertension
  • PPARα
  • Renin
  • Transgenic mice

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Absence of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α abolishes hypertension and attenuates atherosclerosis in the Tsukuba hypertensive mouse'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this