Institute for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Sarajevo
Abstract
Hypertension is one of the primary risk factors for heart disease and stroke, the leading causes of death worldwide. Numerous factors have been implicated in the pathophysiology of hypertension: endothelial dysfunction, arterial remodeling and vascular inflammation. Common to all these processes is increased bioavailability of reactive oxygen species in the vessels, heart, brain and kidneys. Oxidative stress and increased reactive oxygen species levels damage all macromolecules, with DNA being particularly susceptible to oxidative damage. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is a difference in the level of DNA damage between normotensive and hypertensive rats using the alkaline comet assay. Blood samples and cells suspension from liver and kidney from three male spontaneously hypertensive rats were obtained. Three normotensive male Wistar rats were used as a control. Increased level of DNA damage was detected in blood and both of the studied tissues of hypertensive rats compared to the control, where significant difference was present in the liver and kidney cell suspensions. These results indicate that untreated hypertension in rats leads to an increased DNA damage in all of the studied samples, detected by comet assay.1st Congress of Geneticists in Bosnia and Herzegovina with International Participation Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 02nd-04th October, 2019, Book of abstract
