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- Patzak, Andreas, et al.
(author)
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Angiotensin II response in afferent arterioles of mice lacking either the endothelial or neuronal isoform of nitric oxide synthase
- 2008
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In: American Journal of Physiology. Regulatory Integrative and Comparative Physiology. - : American Physiological Society. - 0363-6119 .- 1522-1490. ; 294:2, s. R429-R437
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The aim of the study is to evaluate the impact of nitric oxide (NO) produced by endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) and neuronal NOS (nNOS) on the angiotensin II response in afferent arterioles (Af). Dose responses were assessed for angiotensin II in microperfused Af of mice homozygous for disruption of the eNOS gene [ eNOS(-/-)], or nNOS gene [ nNOS(-/-)], and their wild-type controls, eNOS(+/+) and nNOS(+/+). Angiotensin II at 10(-8) and 10(-6) mol/l reduced the lumen to 69% and 68% in eNOS(+/+), and to 59% and 50% in nNOS(+/+). N-G-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) did not change basal arteriolar diameters, but augmented angiotensin II contraction, reducing diameters to 23% and 13% in eNOS(+/+), and 7% and 10% in nNOS(+/+) at 10(-8) and 10(-6) mol/l. The response to angiotensin II was enhanced in nNOS(-/-) mice (41% and 25% at 10(-8) and 10(-6) mol/l) and even more enhanced in eNOS(+/+) mice (12% and 9%) compared with nNOS(+/+) and eNOS(+/+). L-NAME led to complete constriction of Af in these groups. Mediato-lumen ratios of Af did not differ between controls and gene-deficient mice. mRNA expression of angiotensin II receptor types 1A and 1B and type 2 also did not differ. The results reveal that angiotensin II-induced release of NO from both eNOS and nNOS significantly contributes to the control of Af. Results also suggest that eNOS-derived NO is of greater importance than nNOS-derived NO in this isolated arteriolar preparation.
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- Vasan, Ramachandran S, et al.
(author)
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Genetic variants associated with cardiac structure and function : a meta-analysis and replication of genome-wide association data
- 2009
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In: Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). - : American Medical Association (AMA). - 0098-7484 .- 1538-3598. ; 302:2, s. 168-178
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- CONTEXT: Echocardiographic measures of left ventricular (LV) structure and function are heritable phenotypes of cardiovascular disease. OBJECTIVE: To identify common genetic variants associated with cardiac structure and function by conducting a meta-analysis of genome-wide association data in 5 population-based cohort studies (stage 1) with replication (stage 2) in 2 other community-based samples. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Within each of 5 community-based cohorts comprising the EchoGen consortium (stage 1; n = 12 612 individuals of European ancestry; 55% women, aged 26-95 years; examinations between 1978-2008), we estimated the association between approximately 2.5 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; imputed to the HapMap CEU panel) and echocardiographic traits. In stage 2, SNPs significantly associated with traits in stage 1 were tested for association in 2 other cohorts (n = 4094 people of European ancestry). Using a prespecified P value threshold of 5 x 10(-7) to indicate genome-wide significance, we performed an inverse variance-weighted fixed-effects meta-analysis of genome-wide association data from each cohort. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Echocardiographic traits: LV mass, internal dimensions, wall thickness, systolic dysfunction, aortic root, and left atrial size. RESULTS: In stage 1, 16 genetic loci were associated with 5 echocardiographic traits: 1 each with LV internal dimensions and systolic dysfunction, 3 each with LV mass and wall thickness, and 8 with aortic root size. In stage 2, 5 loci replicated (6q22 locus associated with LV diastolic dimensions, explaining <1% of trait variance; 5q23, 12p12, 12q14, and 17p13 associated with aortic root size, explaining 1%-3% of trait variance). CONCLUSIONS: We identified 5 genetic loci harboring common variants that were associated with variation in LV diastolic dimensions and aortic root size, but such findings explained a very small proportion of variance. Further studies are required to replicate these findings, identify the causal variants at or near these loci, characterize their functional significance, and determine whether they are related to overt cardiovascular disease.
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