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Erythropoietin‐induced excessive erythrocytosis activates the tissue endothelin system in mice
- Source :
- The FASEB Journal. 17:259-261
- Publication Year :
- 2002
- Publisher :
- Wiley, 2002.
-
Abstract
- The endothelium controls blood flow and pressure by releasing several vasoactive factors, among them the vasodilator nitric oxide (NO) and the potent vasoconstrictor endothelin-1 (ET-1). Although increased NO levels have been found in excessive erythrocytosis, little is known concerning ET-1 expression in this condition. Thus, we examined the endothelin system in transgenic mice that due to constitutive overexpression of erythropoietin (Epo) reached hematocrit levels of approximately 80%. Surprisingly, despite generalized vasodilatation, polycythemic mice exhibited a two- to fivefold elevation in ET-1 mRNA levels in aorta, liver, heart, and kidney. In line with this, increased expression of ET-1 protein was detected in the pulmonary artery by immunohistochemical analysis. Compared with their wild-type littermates, aortic rings of Epo transgenic animals exhibited a marked reduction in vascular reactivity to ET-1 and big ET-1, but this effect was abrogated upon preincubation with the NO synthase inhibitor N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME). Pretreatment of polycythemic mice with the ET(A) receptor antagonist darusentan for 3 wk significantly prolonged their survival upon acute exposure to L-NAME. Taken together, these results demonstrate for the first time that excessive erythrocytosis induces a marked activation of the tissue endothelin system that results in increased mortality upon blockade of NO-mediated vasodilatation. Because ETA antagonism prolonged survival after acute blockade of NO synthesis, endothelin may be regarded as a contributor to the adverse cardiovascular effects of erythrocytosis and may thus represent a new target in the treatment of cardiovascular disease associated with erythrocytosis.
- Subjects :
- Endothelin Receptor Antagonists
medicine.hormone
medicine.medical_specialty
Endothelium
Mice, Transgenic
Polycythemia
In Vitro Techniques
Pulmonary Artery
Kidney
Biochemistry
Nitric oxide
Endothelins
Mice
chemistry.chemical_compound
Internal medicine
Genetics
medicine
Animals
Enzyme Inhibitors
Protein Precursors
Erythropoietin
Molecular Biology
Aorta
Endothelin-1
Phenylpropionates
business.industry
Myocardium
Receptor, Endothelin A
Endothelin 1
NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester
Pyrimidines
medicine.anatomical_structure
Endocrinology
Liver
chemistry
Vasoconstriction
Darusentan
Nitric Oxide Synthase
medicine.symptom
business
Endothelin receptor
Biotechnology
medicine.drug
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 15306860 and 08926638
- Volume :
- 17
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- The FASEB Journal
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....6230bcba9ec3c14b49d9290d5037dde2