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Cardiovascular Research 2002 55(1):178-189; doi:10.1016/S0008-6363(02)00400-5
© 2002 by European Society of Cardiology
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Copyright © 2002, European Society of Cardiology

Aortic smooth muscle cell phenotypic modulation and fibrillar collagen deposition in angiotensin II-dependent hypertension

Gian Paolo Rossia,*, Martina Cavallina, Anna S Bellonib, Giuseppina Mazzocchib, Gastone G Nussdorferb, Achille C Pessinaa and Saverio Sartorec

aDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Clinica Medica 4, University of Padua, via Giustiniani 2, Padua 35126 Italy
bDepartment of Human Anatomy and Physiology (section of Anatomy), University of Padua, Padua, Italy
cDepartment of Biomedical Sciences—CNR Unit for Muscle Biology and Pathophysiology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +39-49-821-3304 or 2301; fax: +39-49-880-2252 gianpaolo.rossi{at}unipd.it

Background: We investigated the effect of nifedipine, AT-1 and ET-1 receptor blockade on arterial smooth muscle cell phenotypes and collagen deposition in TGRen2 transgenic rat (TGR). Methods: Four-week-old TGR were blood pressure (BP)-matched and allocated to receive a placebo (n = 8), the calcium antagonist nifedipine (n = 6), the AT-1 specific receptor antagonist irbesartan (n = 6), the ETA/ETB antagonist bosentan (n = 6) or the ETA-selective antagonist BMS-182874 (n = 5). Sprague–Dawley normotensive rats served as controls (n = 6). After 4 weeks of treatment animals were euthanized and the left ventricle (LV) and the structural changes in intracardiac arterioles and aorta were assessed histomorphometrically. Smooth muscle cell phenotypes and fibrillar collagen content of the aortic wall were evaluated by immunostaining, using differentiation markers—specific antibodies and Syrius red staining, respectively. The changes in ETA and ETB receptor density were also assessed with quantitative autoradiography. Results: Compared to placebo, only irbesartan lowered BP (P<0.001) and prevented LV and small resistance artery hypertrophy. The aorta of placebo-treated TGR showed an increase in foetal-type smooth muscle cell content and fibrillar collagen staining, compared to controls. These changes were blunted by irbesartan, which increased ETA receptors in the arterial wall, enhanced by BMS-182874 and unaffected by bosentan. Nifedipine also blunted both the VSMC and collagen changes despite having no effect on BP and ETA receptors. Conclusions: In TGRen2, vascular hypertrophy entails both smooth muscle cell phenotypic modulation and collagen deposition. These alterations do not follow closely the BP changes and seem to imply the dihydropyridine-sensitive calcium channels.

KEYWORDS Ang II, Angiotensin II; AT-1, Angiotensin II type 1 receptor; BP, blood pressure; BW, body weight; CVD, cardiovascular damage; EC, endothelial cells; ET-1, endothelin-1; LV, left ventricle; TGR, Transgenic [mREN2] 27 rat; VSMC, Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell


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