Chronic treatment with C-type natriuretic peptide impacts differently in the aorta of normotensive and hypertensive rats.
The aim of this study was to determine whether exogenous administration of C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) induces functional and morphological vascular changes in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) compared with normotensive rats. Male 12-week-old normotensive Wistar and SHR were administered with saline (NaCl 0.9%) or CNP (0.75 μg/h/100 g) for 14 days (subcutaneous micro-osmotic pumps). Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was measured in awake animals and renal parameters were evaluated. After decapitation, the aorta was removed, and vascular morphology, profibrotic markers, and vascular reactivity were measured. In addition, nitric oxide (NO) system and oxidative stress were evaluated. After 14-days of treatment, CNP effectively reduced SBP in SHR without changes in renal function. CNP attenuated vascular remodeling in hypertensive rats, diminishing both profibrotic and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Also, CNP activated the vascular NO system and exerted an antioxidant effect in aortic tissue of both groups, diminishing superoxide production and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, and increasing glutathione content. These results show that chronic treatment with CNP attenuates the vascular damage development in a model of essential hypertension, inducing changes in fibrotic, inflammatory, oxidative, and NO pathways that could contribute to beneficial long-term effects on vascular morphology, extracellular matrix composition, and function. The knowledge of these effects of CNP could lead to improved therapeutic strategies to not only control BP but also reduce vascular damage, primarily responsible for the risk of cardiovascular events.
['Caniffi|Carolina|C|0000-0002-0559-0965', 'Cerniello|Flavia M|FM|', 'Bouchet|Gonzalo|G|', 'Sueiro|María L|ML|', 'Tomat|Analía|A|', 'Maglio|Daniel González|DG|', 'Toblli|Jorge E|JE|', 'Arranz|Cristina|C|']
D000818:Animals D001011:Aorta D001794:Blood Pressure D016207:Cytokines D005978:Glutathione D006973:Hypertension D007668:Kidney D008297:Male D045283:Natriuretic Agents D020098:Natriuretic Peptide, C-Type D009569:Nitric Oxide D018384:Oxidative Stress D051381:Rats D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR D017208:Rats, Wistar D013481:Superoxides D014661:Vasoconstriction
Natriuretic peptides Blood pressure Nitric oxide Oxidative stress Vascular remodeling Fibrosis