Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, Journal of Hypertension, Supplement 1(39), p. e387, 2021
DOI: 10.1097/01.hjh.0000749032.21048.01
Portland Press, Clinical Science, 15(135), p. 1825-1843, 2021
DOI: 10.1042/cs20201574
Full text: Unavailable
Abstract In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that there are significant sex differences in angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced hypertension and kidney injury using male and female wildtype (WT) and proximal tubule-specific AT1a receptor knockout mice (PT-Agtr1a−/−). Twelve groups (n=8–12 per group) of adult male and female WT and PT-Agtr1a−/− mice were infused with a pressor dose of Ang II via osmotic minipump for 2 weeks (1.5 mg/kg/day, i.p.) and simultaneously treated with or without losartan (20 mg/kg/day, p.o.) to determine the respective roles of AT1a receptors in the proximal tubules versus systemic tissues. Basal systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure were approximately 13 ± 3 mmHg lower (P<0.01), while basal 24-h urinary Na+, K+, and Cl− excretion were significantly higher in both male and female PT-Agtr1a−/− mice than WT controls (P<0.01) without significant sex differences between different strains. Both male and female WT and PT-Agtr1a−/− mice developed hypertension (P<0.01), and the magnitudes of the pressor responses to Ang II were similar between male and female WT and PT-Agtr1a−/− mice (n.s.). Likewise, Ang II-induced hypertension was significantly attenuated in both male and female PT-Agtr1a−/− mice (P<0.01). Furthermore, losartan attenuated the hypertensive responses to Ang II to similar extents in both male and female WT and PT-Agtr1a−/− mice. Finally, Ang II-induced kidney injury was attenuated in PT-Agtr1a−/− mice (P<0.01). In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that deletion of AT1a receptors in the proximal tubules of the kidney attenuates Ang II-induced hypertension and kidney injury without revealing significant sex differences.