2 research outputs found
Cardiovascular candidate genes within the oxidative stress pathway: rat and human studies
Combined congenic breeding strategy and microarray expression profiling studies from our group previously identified rat glutathione s-transferase mu type-1 (rGstm1) as a functional and positional candidate gene implicated in hypertension. In the previous studies, expression of rGstm1 was lower in the kidney from the hypertensive rat model, stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHRSP0, compared to the normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) and a chromosome 2 congenic strain (SP. WKYG1a2c*). This project aims to characterise Gstm gene family in rat and human tissues. Results from this thesis demonstrate reduced mRNA expression of several members of rGstm gene family, in vascular and renal tissues. Most notably, expression of vascular and renal rGstm1 mRNA and protein, are lower in the SHRSP compared to WKY and SP.WKYG1a2c*. Vascular mRNA expression of rGstm2, rGstm5 and rGstm7 were reduced in the SHRSP males compared to the WKY males and SP.WKYG1a2c* males but not in the females. The expression profile of the human GSTM (hGSTM) gene family in vascular tissue from varicose vein ad saphenous vein have also been characterised in an attempt to identify the true human orthologue of rGstm1. There are five known members in the hGSTM gene family, all of which were expressed in vascular tissues. Results from characterisation of the vascular hGSTM gene family show that four hGSTM members are homologous to rGstm1. These four hGstm genes remain as potential orthologue for rGstm1. Functional roles of vascular and renal rGstm genes have been investigated using two pharmacological intervention studies. Olmesartan (AT1R antagonist) or hydralazine plus hydrochlorothiazide (direct vasodilator and diuretic) have been used to evaluate the oxidative stress status and gene expression of rGstm genes, in the reversal and prevention studies. Both drug treatments improved the BP of SHRSP rats in reversal study and prevented the rise in BP in the prevention study. Olmesartan-treated SHRSP rats demonstrated reduced superoxide (O2-) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production in both reversal and prevention studies. Minor effects by both drug treatments were observed for the rGstm gene family in the prevention but not the reversal study. Both drug treatments did not influence vascular of renal rGstm1 expression in either reversal or prevention studies. Improvement in BP did not improve rGstm1 gene expression. The rGstm1 was not responsive to pharmacological interventions due to strain-dependent genetic abnormalities. Functional polymorphisms in two key enzymes involved in ROS and NO balance were investigated for association with CAD and vascular compliance as single polymorphism and as haplotypes. There was an association between CYBA A-930G with CAD, with the A allele being recessive. There was also an association between NOS3 G894T with CAD, only when G allele was dominant. The T-786C of NOS3 was associated with small artery compliance index (C2), in both CAD and control groups
Transgenic overexpression of glutathione S-transferase μ-type 1 reduces hypertension and oxidative stress in the stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rat
Background: Combined congenic breeding and
microarray gene expression profiling previously identified
glutathione S-transferase m-type 1 (Gstm1) as a positional
and functional candidate gene for blood pressure (BP)
regulation in the stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive
(SHRSP) rat. Renal Gstm1 expression in SHRSP rats is
significantly reduced when compared with normotensive
Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats. As Gstm1 plays an important
role in the secondary defence against oxidative stress,
significantly lower expression levels may be functionally
relevant in the development of hypertension. The aim of
this study was to investigate the role of Gstm1 in BP
regulation and oxidative stress by transgenic
overexpression of the Gstm1 gene.
Method: Two independent Gstm1 transgenic SHRSP lines
were generated by microinjecting SHRSP embryos with a
linear construct controlled by the EF-1a promoter encoding
WKY Gstm1 cDNA [SHRSP-Tg(Gstm1)1WKY and SHRSPTg(Gstm1)2WKY].
Results: Transgenic rats exhibit significantly reduced BP and
pulse pressure when compared with SHRSP [systolic: SHRSP
205.2 3.7 mmHg vs. SHRSP-Tg(Gstm1)1WKY
175.5 1.6 mmHg and SHRSP-Tg(Gstm1)2WKY
172 3.2 mmHg, P< 0.001; pulse pressure: SHRSP
58.4 0.73 mmHg vs. SHRSP-Tg(Gstm1)1WKY
52.7 0.19 mmHg and SHRSP-Tg(Gstm1)2WKY
40.75 0.53 mmHg, P< 0.001]. Total renal and aortic
Gstm1 expression in transgenic animals was significantly
increased compared with SHRSP [renal relative quantification
(RQ): SHRSP-Tg(Gstm1)1WKY 1.95 vs. SHRSP 1.0, P< 0.01;
aorta RQ: SHRSP-Tg(Gstm1)1WKY 2.8 vs. SHRSP 1.0,
P< 0.05]. Renal lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde: protein)
and oxidized : reduced glutathione ratio levels were
significantly reduced in both transgenic lines when compared
with SHRSP [malondialdehyde: SHRSP 0.04 0.009mmol/l
vs. SHRSP-Tg(Gstm1)1WKY 0.024 0.002mmol/l and SHRSPTg(Gstm1)2WKY
0.021 0.002mmol/l; (oxidized : reduced
glutathione ratio): SHRSP 5.19 2.26mmol/l vs. SHRSPTg(Gstm1)1WKY
0.17 0.111mmol/l and SHRSPTg(Gstm1)2WKY
0.471 0.223mmol/l]. Transgenic SHRSP
rats containing the WKY Gstm1 gene demonstrate
significantly lower BP, reduced oxidative stress and improved
levels of renal Gstm1 expression.
Conclusion: These data support the hypothesis that
reduced renal Gstm1 plays a role in the development of
hypertension