TY - JOUR
T1 - Saphenous vein endothelin system expression and activity in African American patients
AU - Grubbs, Ashley L.
AU - Anstadt, Mark P.
AU - Ergul, Adviye
PY - 2002
Y1 - 2002
N2 - Objective - Plasma endothelin (ET)-1 levels are significantly higher in African American hypertensive patients than in white hypertensive patients. However, whether the molecular components of vascular ET-1 biosynthesis and function are altered in this population remains to be established. Accordingly, the overall goal of this study was to investigate the effects of race on vascular mRNA and protein levels of ET-converting enzyme (ECE)-1 subisoforms, ET-1, and ET receptor profiles in hypertension. Methods and Results - Saphenous vein samples were obtained from African American (n = 13) and white (n = 15) patients undergoing coronary artery grafting surgery. The expression of preproET-1 and of ECE-1a was upregulated ≈2- and 3-fold, respectively, in African Americans. In endothelium-intact vessels, the ETA expression was higher in whites. In endothelium-denuded vessels, the ETB mRNA was 3-fold higher in African Americans, suggesting that vasoconstriction-promoting ETB receptors are upregulated in this population. Vascular tissue ET-1 levels and ECE-1 activity were also augmented in African. American patients. Conclusions - This study demonstrated that the biosynthetic pathway of ET-1 is activated to a higher degree and that the ETB receptor subtype expression is altered in the peripheral vasculature of African American hypertensive patients. The augmented synthesis and altered expression of ETB receptors may both contribute to the increased incidence of hypertension and related complications in this patient population.
AB - Objective - Plasma endothelin (ET)-1 levels are significantly higher in African American hypertensive patients than in white hypertensive patients. However, whether the molecular components of vascular ET-1 biosynthesis and function are altered in this population remains to be established. Accordingly, the overall goal of this study was to investigate the effects of race on vascular mRNA and protein levels of ET-converting enzyme (ECE)-1 subisoforms, ET-1, and ET receptor profiles in hypertension. Methods and Results - Saphenous vein samples were obtained from African American (n = 13) and white (n = 15) patients undergoing coronary artery grafting surgery. The expression of preproET-1 and of ECE-1a was upregulated ≈2- and 3-fold, respectively, in African Americans. In endothelium-intact vessels, the ETA expression was higher in whites. In endothelium-denuded vessels, the ETB mRNA was 3-fold higher in African Americans, suggesting that vasoconstriction-promoting ETB receptors are upregulated in this population. Vascular tissue ET-1 levels and ECE-1 activity were also augmented in African. American patients. Conclusions - This study demonstrated that the biosynthetic pathway of ET-1 is activated to a higher degree and that the ETB receptor subtype expression is altered in the peripheral vasculature of African American hypertensive patients. The augmented synthesis and altered expression of ETB receptors may both contribute to the increased incidence of hypertension and related complications in this patient population.
KW - Endothelin-converting enzyme
KW - Gene expression
KW - Hypertension
KW - Race
KW - Receptor subtype
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U2 - 10.1161/01.ATV.0000023160.67766.F0
DO - 10.1161/01.ATV.0000023160.67766.F0
M3 - Article
C2 - 12117726
AN - SCOPUS:0036066287
VL - 22
SP - 1122
EP - 1127
JO - Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology
JF - Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology
SN - 1079-5642
IS - 7
ER -