Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to E Scholtens.
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To compare hypertensive end-organ damage in two genetic forms of hypertension we assessed cardiovascular function in two rat strains of genetic hypertension: transgenic rats overexpressing the mouse Ren-2 gene [(TGR(mREN2)27]) and blood pressure matched spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Despite similarly elevated blood pressure, systolic dp/dt (mmHg/s) was more impaired in transgenic rats (3099 +/- 446) than in SHR (3571 +/- 272) and normals (4342 +/- 119; P < 0.05). Left ventricular weight (mg/g body weight) increased more in the transgenic rats (40 +/- 3) than in SHR (31 +/- 2) and normals (26 +/- 2). Endothelium-dependent relaxation was significantly decreased only in the transgenic rats. This study shows significantly more cardiac and endothelial dysfunction in transgenic, hypertensive TGR (mREN2)27 than in age and blood pressure matched SHR. This supports the hypothesis that chronic activation of the renin-angiotensin system significantly contributes to hypertensive end-organ damage.
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in beta-adrenoceptor density (Bmax) and distribution in a model of chronic myocardial infarction in rats, and to relate possible changes to hemodynamic and neurohumoral abnormalities. In addition, we examined the effects of 8 weeks treatment with ibopamine and captopril. METHODS: There were 3 experiments: (1) Bmax and plasma catecholamines were examined (n = 46), (2) Bmax was compared in infarcted and non-infarcted tissue (n = 13), and (3) contractile function was evaluated by isolated heart perfusion (n = 40). Of rats in Expts. (1) and (3), 50% had myocardial infarction induced by coronary ligation and 50% were controls. Each group was divided between ibopamine, ibopamine and captopril, or standard (no drug) treatment. RESULTS: Bmax was not decreased in rats with myocardial infarction (10.8 +/- 0.8 fmol/mg protein), compared to normal rats (11.4 +/- 0.6 fmol/mg protein), and the ratio beta 1/beta 2 was also unaffected. In infarcted tissue, Bmax was significantly (P = 0.03) lower than in non-infarcted tissue. Baseline left ventricular pressure, systolic and diastolic dP/dT were all impaired (P < 0.001), and plasma norepinephrine levels were elevated in rats with myocardial infarction (16.03 +/- 230 vs. 1287 +/- 83 pg/ml; P < 0.05), compared to normals. Both ibopamine alone and in combination with captopril reduced the elevated plasma norepinephrine levels in infarcted rats (P < 0.001), but only the combination of the 2 drugs significantly increased Bmax in infarcted rats (14.7 +/- 0.8 fmol/mg protein; P = 0.03 vs. untreated myocardial infarction), while ibopamine alone had no significant effect (13.1 +/- 1.1 fmol/mg protein; p = ns). Also, active drug treatment had no significant effect on the hemodynamic changes. CONCLUSIONS: In this coronary artery ligation model of myocardial infarction in rats, no beta-adrenoceptor down-regulation is observed, despite marked abnormalities in baseline left ventricular function and plasma norepinephrine levels. The combination of ibopamine and captopril significantly increases Bmax in infarcted rats, which is accompanied by a reduction in plasma norepinephrine levels, but not by an improvement in hemodynamic parameters.
There is increasing evidence that both neurohumoral and hemodynamic factors play a role in disease progression in chronic heart failure (CHF). To examine the influence of the oral dopamine agonist ibopamine on these factors, we studied 20 rats with chronic myocardial infarction and CHF, and compared them with 20 normal rats. After 6 weeks, rats were randomly divided between control treatment (50%) or ibopamine (50%) for 3 weeks. At the end of the study, plasma and tissue neurohumoral parameters, as well as hemodynamics, were determined. In infarcted rats, the elevated plasma norepinephrine (PNE) levels were reduced by ibopamine (251 +/- 19 vs. 138 +/- 32 pg/ml; p < 0.05). Other plasma neurohormones measured (epinephrine, renin, aldosterone, and angiotensin converting enzyme [ACE]) were not significantly increased in rats with myocardial infarction and were not affected by ibopamine. Cardiac (tissue) ACE was increased in infarcted rats (12.1 +/- 1.9 U/l/min) and was significantly lowered by ibopamine (9.6 +/- 1.0 U/l/min; p < 0.05); renal ACE was unaffected. Blood pressure and heart rate were similar in the two groups and were not influenced by ibopamine treatment. In conclusion, in chronic myocardial infarction and CHF in rats, ibopamine reduces the elevated levels of PNE and cardiac ACE. Further research will be needed to determine whether this effect may lead to a favorable influence on disease progression in CHF.
Remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI) is influenced not only by hemodynamic but possibly by neurohumoral factors as well. Ibopamine is an orally active dopamine agonist (DA) with both hemodynamic and neurohumoral properties in humans. The latter property prevails in rats. To study the dose-dependent effect of ibopamine on myocardial remodeling and compare it with the effect of captopril, we randomized rats with (n = 27) or without (n = 27) experimental MI to captopril (25 mg/kg/day), low-dose ibopamine (10 mg/kg/day), high-dose ibopamine (30 mg/kg/day), or no treatment. After 8-week treatment, hearts were isolated and left ventricular (LV) function, LV cavity volume, and infarct size (IS) were evaluated. Both ibopamine and captopril significantly reduced plasma norepinephrine (NE) levels in rats with MI. In untreated but not in treated infarcted rats, LV function was significantly reduced as compared with that of controls. IS was reduced in all three active treatment groups as compared with untreated rats. LV cavity volume was significantly increased in untreated rats with MI as compared with controls. This dilatation was attenuated by both ibopamine and captopril. Ibopamine, comparable to captopril, administered early after coronary ligation reduced IS and subsequent ventricular dilatation, resulting in preservation of cardiac function in this rat model. This observation suggests a major role for neurohumoral activation in the process of remodeling.
OBJECTIVE: The cardiac renin-angiotensin system is activated in experimental heart failure, but it is unknown at what stage of heart failure it becomes activated, and whether activation is related to ventricular dysfunction and dilatation. Changes in activity of cardiac, renal, and plasma angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) were therefore examined at different stages of experimental heart failure, with simultaneous measurements of left ventricular pressure, systolic dP/dt, and inner ventricular radius. METHODS: Heart failure was induced by experimental infarction in 17 normotensive male Wistar rats; 14 rats were sham operated. Rats were killed 3, 5, or 80 d after infarction. In an isolated heart perfusion, left ventricular pressure and systolic dP/dT were measured. ACE activity was determined in samples of the left and right cardiac ventricle, kidney, and plasma. Radius of the ventricular cavity was planimetrically determined in transverse sections of the left ventricle. RESULTS: At the different stages both left ventricular pressure and systolic dP/dT progressively decreased and inner radius of the left ventricle increased in all heart failure groups. ACE activity in the left ventricle increased significantly in all heart failure groups and correlated inversely with left ventricular pressure (R = -0.81; p < 0.001) and dP/dt (R = -0.85; p < 0.001). ACE activity in the kidney was only increased 80 d after the induction of heart failure [17(SEM 1) v 11.2(0.5) nM His-Leu generated per min.mg-1, p < 0.01], while plasma ACE activity was not increased in any heart failure group. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac ACE is activated in the early stage after induction of heart failure and is related to the amount of dysfunction. ACE in the kidney is activated only in the chronic stage. The cardiac renin-angiotensin system therefore already appears to be an important neurohumoral adjustment in the early stage of heart failure and is thereby a suitable target for early intervention by ACE inhibitors.
OBJECTIVES: The purpose was to relate endothelium dependent relaxation to neurohumoral and haemodynamic changes in rats with chronic heart failure. METHODS: Rats were submitted to either coronary ligation causing myocardial infarction or banding of the abdominal aorta (aortic stenosis), and comparisons were made with normal rats (n = 20 per group). Starting six weeks after surgery, half of the experimental animals received ibopamine and the other half served as controls and were given saline for another three weeks. After this, haemodynamic and neurohumoral variables were determined and the rats were killed. Rings of both the thoracic and abdominal aorta were studied in organ baths to measure their response to vasoactive agents. RESULTS: Increased plasma noradrenaline concentrations in rats with myocardial infarction and aortic stenosis were reduced by ibopamine. Blood pressure and heart rate, which were higher in rats with aortic stenosis than in rats with myocardial infarction and in normal rats, were unaffected by ibopamine. The maximal relaxation to sodium nitrite was depressed in the thoracic aorta from rats with myocardial infarction. The pIC50 of metacholine induced relaxation was smaller in the thoracic aorta from rats with myocardial infarction and aortic stenosis. By contrast, both pIC50 and the maximal relaxation (Emax) were increased in the abdominal aorta from rats with aortic stenosis, whereas Emax was smaller in rats with myocardial infarction. Ibopamine had no significant effects on these responses. CONCLUSIONS: Endothelium dependent relaxation to metacholine was selectively altered in rats with chronic heart failure due to aortic stenosis, probably because of differences in regional haemodynamics. In rats with myocardial infarction, however, endothelium dependent relaxation was impaired in both the thoracic and abdominal aorta. Ibopamine acted as a neurohumoral modulator by reducing increased noradrenaline concentrations but had no significant effect on either endothelium dependent or independent relaxation.
In this study, the effect of bradykinin on coronary flow in the isolated rat heart was significantly potentiated when cysteine or the sulfhydryl-containing converting enzyme inhibitors captopril and zofenoprilat were administered simultaneously. In contrast, the effect of concomitant administration of enalaprilat only slightly increased the effect of bradykinin on coronary flow. In nitrate-tolerant hearts of rats pretreated with isosorbide dinitrate (15 mg daily), the increase in coronary flow by nitroglycerin and bradykinin was significantly less when compared to control hearts. The effect of captopril was not affected by pretreatment. The involvement of endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) in the effect of captopril was apparent from experiments with L-arginine, the precursor of EDRF, and L-NMMA, the "false" precursor of EDRF. L-Arginine increased the effect of captopril, whereas L-NMMA showed a competitive antagonism for the effect of captopril on coronary flow in the isolated rat heart. Clinically, the effect of captopril was studied in 10 patients with stable, exercise-induced angina pectoris that had been treated for 3 weeks with slow-release isosorbide dinitrate (20 mg four times daily). At day 7, a baseline exercise test was obtained. Subsequently, patients with chest pain and at least 1-mm ST-segment depression on the ECG during exercise were included. They received on day 14 and 21 either captopril (25 mg) or placebo 1 h before exercise testing in a randomized, double-blind, crossover design. Captopril significantly improved the combined score of maximal ST-segment depression, maximal workload, and time to angina when compared to placebo. No differences in the pressure-rate index at rest and during exercise were seen. These results indicate that the sulfhydryl group of certain angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors can potentiate their effect on the endogenous nitrovasodilator EDRF. In the clinical situation, this may lead to an improved exercise performance in patients with stable angina pectoris during chronic nitrate treatment, independent of its systemic vascular effects.
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The effects of the converting enzyme inhibitor captopril on the susceptibility of the heart to ventricular arrhythmias following ischemia, both in vitro and in vivo, were studied. In isolated rat hearts, captopril, administered either before or at the end of ischemia, reduced ventricular fibrillation upon reperfusion after 15 minutes of local ischemia. Reduction of purine overflow, improvement in contractility, and increase in coronary blood flow occurred concomitantly. In vivo, a closed-chest pig model was used to determine the effects of captopril, administered at the end of ischemia and continued orally, on the susceptibility to ventricular arrhythmias during the chronic phase of myocardial infarction. Myocardial ischemia was induced by 60-minute inflation of a balloon catheter in the left anterior descending coronary artery. Upon reperfusion, an accelerated idioventricular rhythm occurred, both in 10 untreated and in 10 captopril-treated animals. Creatine kinase levels during the reperfusion period were significantly lower after captopril treatment. Two weeks after the short-term experiments, monomorphic ventricular tachycardia could be induced with programmed electrical stimulation in six of eight surviving untreated pigs. In contrast, in none of the six surviving captopril-treated animals was ventricular tachycardia inducible. Thus, early intervention with captopril during the development phase of myocardial infarction may have beneficial effects on the subsequent development of ventricular arrhythmias. Salvage of ischemic myocardium, improvement in ventricular function, beneficial effects on coronary flow, and decreased activity of the sympathetic nervous system may all contribute.
The effects of captopril and zofenoprilate (the active form of the prodrug zofenopril and also a sulfhydryl-containing angiotension converting-enzyme inhibitor) on coronary flow in the isolated rat heart were compared with the effects of a nonsulfhydryl converting-enzyme inhibitor, ramiprilate (the active form of the prodrug ramipril) and of sulfhydryl-containing compounds with no converting-enzyme inhibiting properties such as glutathione, cysteine, and the (R,S)-isomer of captopril. Drug concentrations of the angiotensin converting-enzyme inhibitors were equipotent in their effect on angiotensin I pressor response. Concentrations of the other compounds were equimolar with respect to the sulfhydryl group. Hearts treated with captopril, its isomer, zofenoprilate, cysteine, and glutathione showed significant increases in coronary flow by 5 min of perfusion. In contrast, ramiprilate treatment resulted in a slower increase in coronary flow that was only significant after 20 min of perfusion. The effect of ramiprilate was associated with a significant increase in 6-keto-prostaglandin (PG) F1 alpha overflow in the coronary effluent compared with that in saline-treated hearts, whereas captopril and glutathione had no significant effect on overflow of the measured cyclooxygenase products 6-keto-PGF1 alpha, thromboxane B2, and PGE2. The effects of captopril, zofenoprilate, and glutathione on coronary flow were dose dependent. These results corroborate the view that ramiprilate enhances coronary flow by affecting prostacyclin synthesis, mediated by an increase of endogenous bradykinin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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The effect of captopril (80 micrograms/ml) on coronary flow in the isolated rat heart was compared with the effects of a non-sulfhydryl-converting enzyme inhibitor, ramipril (15 micrograms/ml), and of a sulfhydryl-containing compound with no converting enzyme-inhibiting properties, glutathione (112 micrograms/ml). Drug concentrations were equipotent in their effect on angiotensin I pressor response and equimolar with respect to the sulfhydryl group. Cyclooxygenase products or their stable metabolites (TXB2, 6-keto-PGF1 alpha and PGE2) were measured in the coronary effluent. Furthermore, the effect of mepacrin (1 microM), indomethacin (1 microM), and FPL 55712 (10 microM) on the changes in coronary flow induced by captopril was studied. Both captopril- and glutathione-treated hearts showed a significant increase in coronary flow already after 5 min treatment. After 60 min treatment, coronary flow was further increased to 185 +/- 9% for captopril-treated hearts and to 210 +/- 11% for glutathione-treated hearts when compared to saline treatment. Ramipril treatment resulted in a slower increase in coronary flow, which was significant after 20 min treatment. After 60 min treatment, this increase was 122 +/- 3% when compared to saline-treated hearts. This effect of ramipril was associated with a significant increase in 6-keto-PGF1 alpha overflow when compared to saline-treated hearts. Captopril and glutathione had no significant effect on overflow of the measured cyclooxygenase products. The effect of captopril and glutathione on coronary flow appeared to be dose dependent in an equimolar range. Simultaneous mepacrin treatment diminished the effect of captopril on coronary flow; indomethacin had no effect, and FPL 55712 potentiated the effect of captopril.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The role of the liver in the conjugation of 4-methylumbelliferone (4MU), mainly glucuronidation, was investigated in the rat in vivo. The liver extracted 4MU almost completely (97%) during steady-state infusion, as measured by the difference between 4MU concentration in portal and hepatic venous blood. Previously, it was shown that the intestinal region extracts 40% of the 4MU of the incoming arterial blood. The liver and the gastrointestinal region are so efficient that their conjugation activity can account for total body clearance of 4MU (50-60 ml/min per kg). These results and other evidence on extrahepatic conjugation of phenolic substrates suggest that glucuronidation may be limited to the liver, (the kidney) and the gastrointestinal region, while sulfation may occur more widespread throughout the body. Protein binding studies showed the sulfate conjugate to be even more protein-bound than unconjugated 4MU, while 4MU glucuronide was much less bound to rat plasma proteins.
The phenolic compound, harmol, is metabolized by sulfation and glucuronidation in the rat in vivo. In the present study, various harmol infusion rates into the jugular vein were used to delineate first-order conditions whereby total body clearance was maximal and constant; at low infusion rates the steady state harmol concentration in blood varied proportionally with the infusion rate. At infusion rates of 167 nmole/min and below, the steady state clearance of harmol was 60 ml/min or 200 ml/min/kg. Because this value for total body clearance greatly exceeded the value for hepatic blood flow rate (20 ml/min for a 300 g rat), considerable extrahepatic conjugation of harmol was suggested. At higher harmol infusion rates the total clearance decreased. Since an intraportal infusion of 167 nmole/min to the rat yielded, during steady state, the same arterial harmol blood concentration as a 52 nmole/min jugular infusion, the hepatic extraction ratio of harmol in vivo was 0.7. Extrahepatic clearance, therefore, constituted about 77% of total body clearance (after taking the difference between total body clearance and hepatic clearance). Total sulfation clearance was 52 ml/min, and greatly exceed the value for hepatic clearance (14 ml/min). Extrahepatic clearance for sulfation (at least 38 ml/min) therefore accounted for a major proportion of the sulfation activity. Blood platelets did not seem to contribute to sulfation or glucuronidation in vivo.
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A very simple and rapid technique for inserting a catheter in the portal vein and the hepatic vein in the anesthesized rat in vivo is described. The pointed, saline-containing PE tubing is frozen in liquid nitrogen, whereupon it is used as a 'needle' to insert the catheter into the blood vessel. Multiple blood samples can be obtained from the portal and the hepatic vein at the same time, so that in situ extraction of drugs by the liver can be measured in vivo, since hepatic blood flow is uninterrupted.
Amounts of the sulfur-containing amino acids methionine and cysteine in synthetic diets were decreased from 22.8 mmol methionine (= 100 Met) and 26.4 mmol cysteine (= 100 Cys) per kilogram diet in the control group to (Met/Cys) 100:0, 75:0, 50:0, 25:0 and 25:25, respectively, in experimental diet groups, in order to evaluate effects of limiting sulfur supply on the availability of cosubstrates for conjugation. Below a Met level of 22.8 mmol/kg growth rates decreased. Urinary excretion of inorganic sulfate decreased to 10-20% of control values in all groups. Feeding diets 100:0 and 75:0 for 14 days resulted in a decrease of the concentration of inorganic sulfate in serum; on diets 25:25 and 25:0 an increase was found. A decreased content of methionine/cysteine resulted in an increase in cystine, a decrease in taurine and no change in methionine concentration in serum. In all experimental groups the glutathione concentration in the liver diminished to about 20% of control values, and the hepatic concentration of "active sulfate" (PAPS: adenosine 3'-phosphate 5'-phosphosulfate) decreased in most rats. At the lowest methionine supply, sulfate conjugation of acetaminophen decreased to 50% of control. The formation of the acetaminophen glutathione conjugate remained unaffected, in spite of a decreased hepatic glutathione availability.