Increased expression of endothelin-1 gene in blood vessels of deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt hypertensive rats

Abstract

We have recently shown that the content orimmunoreactive endothelin-1 is increased in acid extracts from blood vessels of deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)—salt hypertensive rats compared with untnephrec- tomized control rats. We have also found by immunohistochemistry a significant increase in immunore- active endothelin-1 in endothelial cells of aorta and mesenteric arteries of DOCA-salt hypertensive rats. In the present study, we investigated preproendothelin-1 gene expression in blood vessels of DOCA-salt hypertensive rats and unlneph rectomized control rats. Northern blot analysis using a specific3JP-labeled complementary RNA probe for rat preproendothelin-1 of 319 base pairs revealed a fourfold to fivefold increase in abundance of preproendothelin-1 messenger RNA transcripts in both aorta and mesenteric arteries from DOCA-salt hypertensive rats. Thus, increased I m mu noreactive endothelin-1 content in blood vessels of DOCA-salt hypertensive rats is secondary to increased preproendotbelin-1 gene expression. Exaggerated expression of the preproendothelin-I gene in mineralocortfcoid hypertension may contribute to the maintenance of elevated blood pressure. (Hypertension 1993;21:916-920) © 1993 American Heart Association, Inc.