Impact of RAAS Receptors and Membrane-Bound Transporter System in the Left Ventricle during the Long-Term Control of Hypertension.

The Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System (RAAS) has been implicated in systemic and neurogenic hypertension. The infusion of RAAS inhibitors blunted arterial pressure and efficacy of use-dependent synaptic transmission in sympathetic ganglia. The current investigation aims to elucidate the impact of RAAS-mediated receptors on left ventricular cardiomyocytes and the role of the sarcolemma-bound carrier system in the heart of the hypertensive transgene model.

HIV-Associated Hypertension: Risks, Mechanisms, and Knowledge Gaps.

HIV type 1 (HIV-1) is the causative agent of AIDS. Since the start of the epidemic, HIV/AIDS has been responsible for ≈40 million deaths. Additionally, an estimated 39 million people are currently infected with the virus.

Functional Significance of Angiotensin Receptor Type 2 in the Neuroplasticity of Autonomic Ganglia in (mRen2)27 Transgenic Hypertensive Rats.

The over-expression of Ren -2 d gene in (mRen2)27 rats leads to development of hypertension mediated by the renin-angiotensin-system axis and exaggerated sympathetic nerve activity. Exogenously applied angiotensin II (AngII) on the superior cervical ganglion evokes ganglionic compound action potentials (gCAP) and ganglionic long-term potentiation (gLTP). We studied the functional role of angiotensin receptors and expression of reactive oxygen species marker, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase 4 (NOX4) proteins in AngII-induced postganglionic transmission.

Redox Responsive Copolyoxalate Smart Polymers for Inflammation and Other Aging-Associated Diseases.

Polyoxalate (POx) and copolyoxalate (CPOx) smart polymers are topics of interest the field of inflammation. This is due to their drug delivery ability and their potential to target reactive oxygen species (ROS) and to accommodate small molecules such as curcumin, vanilline, and p-Hydroxybenzyl alcohol. Their biocompatibility, ultra-size tunable characteristics and bioimaging features are remarkable.

Increased constrictor tone induced by ouabain treatment in rats.

Ouabain (Oua)-induced hypertension in rodents provides a model to study cardiovascular changes associated with human hypertension. We examined vascular function in rats after a long-term treatment with Oua. Systolic blood pressure was measured by tail-cuff plethysmography in male Sprague-Dawley rats treated with Oua (≈ 25 µg/d) or placebo for 8 weeks.

The functional role of PI3K in maintenance of blood pressure and baroreflex suppression in (mRen2)27 and mRen2.Lewis rat.

The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-dependent signaling pathway in brain of spontaneously hypertensive rats, but not Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats, contributes to elevated mean arterial pressure (MAP). The role of PI3K in the regulation of blood pressure or autonomic function in the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) is yet to be established in other Ang II-dependent models of hypertension. Thus, we microinjected PI3K inhibitors, wortmannin or LY294002, into the NTS, and measured MAP, baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) for heart rate (HR) control, and HR variability (HRV) in mRen2.

Alterations in sympathetic ganglionic transmission in response to angiotensin II in (mRen2)27 transgenic rats.

Hypertension in (mRen2)27 transgenic rats is partly dependent on activation of the sympathetic nervous system, but the role of ganglionic transmission is unknown. We assessed indices of synaptic plasticity (post-tetanic short-term potentiation [PTP] and long-term potentiation [LTP]) and sympathetic ganglionic transmission without tetany in superior cervical ganglia (SCG) of Hannover Sprague-Dawley rats (HnSD) versus (mRen2)27 rats. There were no differences in decay time constants [PTP=9 minutes; LTP=120 to 150 minutes in both (mRen2)27 and HnSD].