Korean J Intern Med.
1999 Jan;14(1):21-26.
Altered renal expression of nitric oxide synthase isozymes in spontaneously hypertensive rats
- Affiliations
-
- 1Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam University Medical School, Kwangju, Korea.
- 2Hormone Research Center, Chonnam National University, Kwangju, Korea.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
The present study was aimed at exploring whether the pathogenesis of
hypertension is related with an altered expression of nitric oxide synthase
(NOS) isozymes, i.e., bNOS, iNOS and ecNOS. METHOD: By Western blot analysis,
the expression of NOS isozymes were determined in the kidney isolated from
spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and their normotensive control,
Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). The NOx (nitrite/nitrate) contents were also determined
in the kidney and plasma. RESULTS: The plasma NOx was significantly increased in
SHR compared with that in WKY. The basal level of NOx was higher in the medulla
and cortex of the kidney in SHR compared with that in WKY rat. bNOS proteins
were expressed higher in the outer medulla and cortex, and iNOS proteins were
higher in the inner medulla, outer medulla and cortex in SHR. ecNOS expression
did not significantly differ between the SHR and WKY. CONCLUSIONS: These results
indicate that the NO generation may not be impaired, but rather increased. It is
likely that the increased expression of NOS isozymes is a counter-reactive
phenomenon secondary to the increased blood pressure in this model of
hypertension.