The world pandemic of vitamin D deficiency could possibly be explained by cellular inflammatory response activity induced by the renin-angiotensin system.

This review attempts to show that there may be a relationship between inflammatory processes induced by chronic overstimulation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and the worldwide deficiency of vitamin D (VitD) and that both disorders are probably associated with environmental factors. Low VitD levels represent a risk factor for several apparently different diseases, such as infectious, autoimmune, neurodegenerative, and cardiovascular diseases, as well as diabetes, osteoporosis, and cancer. Moreover, VitD insufficiency seems to predispose to hypertension, metabolic syndrome, left ventricular hypertrophy, heart failure, and chronic vascular inflammation.

Vascular structure and oxidative stress in salt-loaded spontaneously hypertensive rats: effects of losartan and atenolol.

Background: Renin-angiotensin system (RAS) modulation by high dietary sodium may contribute to salt-induced hypertension, oxidative stress, and target organ damage. We investigated whether angiotensin II (Ang-II) type 1 (AT1)-receptor blockade (losartan) could protect the aorta and renal arteries from combined hypertension- and high dietary salt-related oxidative stress.

Methods: Spontaneously hypertensive rats (3-month-old, n = 10/group) received tap water (SHR), water containing 1.

The role of high-fructose corn syrup in metabolic syndrome and hypertension.

Obesity and related diseases are an important and growing health concern in the United States and around the world. Soft drinks and other sugar-sweetened beverages are now the primary sources of added sugars in Americans' diets. The metabolic syndrome is a cluster of common pathologies, including abdominal obesity linked to an excess of visceral fat, fatty liver, insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, dyslipidemia, and hypertension.

Thiazide diuretics do not protect against changes that accompany renal aging.

Background: During the normal aging process, changes are produced in renal structure that are indistinguishable from those provoked by uncomplicated elevated arterial pressure. Our objective was to evaluate whether long-term treatment with thiazide diuretics (hydrochlorothiazide [HCT]) prevented the changes that occur during kidney aging.

Methods: Fifty CF1 female mice were divided into 2 groups: control group without treatment and HCT group which received 25 mg/L HCT in their drinking water, after weaning and during their entire existence.

Changes seen in the aging kidney and the effect of blocking the renin-angiotensin system.

Background: The objective was to evaluate structural changes of glomeruli during aging and the role of chronic renin-angiotensin system inhibition (RASi) on these changes; starting RASi on Wistar rats at two different moments: the first group after weaning and the second at the midpoint of their lifespan (12 months).

Methods: Thirty rats were divided, after weaning, into three groups of 10: group 1: control (C); group 2 : 30 mg/kg/day losartan (L); group 3 : 10 mg/kg/day enalapril (E). At 18 months, rats were placed in metabolic cages to evaluate proteinuria, then killed.