This study examined the inward transport of l-[(14)C]alanine, an ASCT2 preferential substrate, in monolayers of immortalized renal proximal tubular epithelial (PTE) cells from Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats. The expression of ASCT2 in WKY and SHR PTE cells and kidney cortices from WKY and SHR was also evaluated. l-[(14)C]alanine uptake was highly dependent on extra...

The present study determined circulating concentrations of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) in Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and also investigated the vasorelaxing action of ANP and CNP on isolated contracted aorta. We also defined the vasorelaxing action of a novel and newly synthesized 27-amino acid chimera of ANP and CN...

Low efficiency and significant toxicity are the main obstacles to successful gene delivery. We have developed a cationic reduction-responsive vector based on a disulfide cross-linked stearylated polyarginine peptide modified with histidine (C-SHR) for DNA delivery. The structure of the C-SHR was characterized, and the in vitro and in vivo transfection efficiency and cytotoxicity of C-SHR/plasmi...

To evaluate the role of altered efferent renal sympathetic nerve activity in the exaggerated natriuresis of the spontaneous hypertensive rat (SHR), we measured efferent renal sympathetic nerve activity in anesthetized age- and sex-matched SHR and normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) control rats during control and intravenous saline volume expansion. Mean arterial pressure was 40-60 mm Hg higher in ...

After complete cardiovascular denervation mean arterial pressure (MAP) falls to almost equally low levels in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive control rats (NCR). This has earlier been suggested to indicate a dominance of neurogenic mechanisms in established SHR hypertension. -- In the present study, total peripheral resistance (TPR) remains, however, some 35 per cent highe...

We assessed the effect of the previously uncovered gap junction protein alpha 8 (Gja8) mutation present in spontaneously hypertensive rat - dominant cataract (SHR-Dca) strain on blood pressure, metabolic profile, and heart and renal transcriptomes. Adult, standard chow-fed male rats of SHR and SHR-Dca strains were used. We found a significant, consistent 10-15 mmHg decrease in both systolic and...

We investigated the effect of pertussis toxin (PTX) on hypotensive response induced by acetylcholine (ACh) and bradykinin (BK) and on noradrenaline (NA)-induced pressor response in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Fifteen-week-old Wistar rats and age-matched SHR were used. Half of SHR received PTX (10 microg/kg/i.v.) and the experiments were performed 48 h later. After the anesthesia the ...

Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats were used to investigate the adaptive biochemical changes in the myocardium in response to chronic afterload. Ouabain-inhibited Na+,K+-adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity was decreased by 40% in myocardium of SHR compared with that from WKY, which may lead to increased intracellular Ca2+ through Na+-Ca2+ excha...

Previous studies have shown that acute exercise preconditions the myocardium from ischemic injury. The purpose of this study was to test whether acute exercise protects the hypertensive myocardium from ischemia-induced diastolic rigor, and to compare the response between normotensive and uncompensated hypertensive hearts. Hearts harvested from female Wistar-Kyoto (WKY; n = 24) and spontaneously...

Spontaneously hypertensive male rats (SHR) or normotensive Kyoto-Wistar (WKY) male rats underwent either sham or nerve growth factor antiserum (NGFAS) treatment during the first week of life. The NGFAS treatment prevented the development of hypertension in SHR but did not prevent the development of left ventricular groups in vivo under general anesthesia. After the recording of resting paramete...