[Alterations of expression of G protein-inositol phosphates pathway-related genes in essential hypertension: experiment with spontaneously hypertensive rats].

Objective: To investigate the changes of G protein-inositol phosphates pathway-related genes and evaluate the role of such changes in the pathogenesis of essential hypertension.

Methods: The pressures of the caudal arteries and body weights of 30 spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHRs), 7 two-week-old, 7 4-week-old, 6 six-week-old, 6 eight-week-old, 6 ten-week-old, and 6 twelve-week-old, and 38 normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats, 6 two-week-old, 6 four-week-old, 6 six-week-old, 6 six-week-old, 6 eight-week-old, 7 ten-week-old, and 7 twelve-week-old, were measured. Then the rats were killed and their hearts, aortas, livers, and kidneys were taken out. 294 specimens of total RNA were obtained from the tissues of ventricle of heart, aortic smooth muscle, liver and kidney. RNA array was used to determine the mRNA levels of G proteins G11 and Gq, and phospholipase C-beta (PLCbeta).

Results: The systolic blood pressures of the 6, 8, 10, and 12-week-old SHRs were 158 mm Hg +/- 8 mm Hg, 174 mm Hg +/- 4 mm Hg, 198 mm Hg +/- 13 mm Hg, and 217 mm Hg +/- 9 mm Hg respectively, all significantly higher than those of the age-matched WKY rats (109 mm Hg +/- 6 mm Hg, 128 mm Hg +/- 5 mm Hg,142 mm Hg +/- 4 mm Hg, and 141 mm Hg +/- 5 mm Hg respectively, all P <0.01). The cardiosomatic ratios of the 10- and 12-week-old SHRs were both significantly higher than those of the age-matched WKY rats (both P < 0.01). The G11 mRNA levels in the heart tissue of the 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12-week-old SHRs were 1.42 +/- 0.35, 1.87 +/- 0.40, 1.96 +/- 0.24, 2.09 +/- 0.38, and 2.34 +/- 0.45, all significantly higher than those of the age-matched WKY rats (1.05 +/- 0.18, 1.25 +/- 0.37, 1.26 +/- 0.35, 1.45 +/- 0.30, and 1.51 +/- 0.42 respectively, P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The Gq mRNA levels of the 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12-week-old SHRs were 1.12 +/- 0.21, 1.30 +/- 0.26, 1.45 +/- 0.35, 1.77 +/- 0.42, and 2.05 +/- 0.46, respectively, all significantly higher than those of the age-matched WKY rats (0.88 +/- 0.09, 0.96 +/- 0.10, 1.03 +/- 0.10, 1.21 +/- 0.38, and 1.29 +/- 0.39 respectively, P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Similar results were found in the G11 and Gq mRNA levels of the aorta and kidney tissues. The levels of PLCbeta expression in the heart and kidney tissues of the 4, 6, 6, 8, 10, and 12-week-old SHRs were all significantly increased (P <0.05 or P <0.01). Galpha, Gq, and PLCbeta were not significantly expressed in the liver. PLCbeta was hardly found in the aorta.

Conclusion: Increase of the expression of G protein-inositol phosphates pathway-related genes is an important molecular biological mechanism in the pathogenesis and development of essential hypertension.