The Open Hypertension Journal

2018, 10 : 76-85
Published online 2018 December 28. DOI: 10.2174/1876526201810010076
Publisher ID: TOHYPERJ-10-76

RESEARCH ARTICLE
Regulation of Biogenesis and Fusion/Fission Processes of Vascular Mitochondria In Aldosterone-Induced Hypertension

Elena Olivares-Álvaro , María Belén Ruiz-Roso , Mercedes Klett-Mingo , Sandra Ballesteros , Ricardo Gredilla , Adrián Galiana-Simal , Natalia de las Heras , Vicente Lahera and Beatriz Martín-Fernández, *

* Address correspondence to this author at the Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Complutense. 28040, Madrid, Spain, Tel: 34 91 394-1490, Fax: 34 91 3941628; E-mail: bmartinfernandez@med.ucm.es

ABSTRACT

Background:

Aldosterone plays a key role in the development of endothelial dysfunction and hypertension. The regulation of biogenesis and fusion/fission processes of vascular mitochondria has not been examined in aldosterone-induced hypertension. Thereby, we sought to explore in greater depth the role of aldosterone in mitochondrial biogenesis and fusion/fission processes in hypertension and the associated increases in oxidative stress.

Methods:

Male Wistar rats received aldosterone (1mg/Kg/day) + 1% NaCl as drinking water for 3 weeks.

Results:

Systolic blood pressure was elevated (p<0.05) in aldosterone-treated rats. eNOS and p-eNOSSer1177 protein expression was down regulated (p<0.05) and NADPH oxidase subunit p22phox expression was increased (p<0.05) in aldosterone-treated rats. Expression of mitochondrial biogenesis proteins SIRT1, PGC1α, PPARγ, and TFAM decreased (p<0.05) in aldosterone-treated rats. Protein expression of vascular DRP1, OMA1 and S-OPA1 up regulated (p<0.05) in aldosterone-treated rats. MFN1 and L-OPA1 (p<0.05) decreased in aldosterone-treated animals.

Conclusion:

The results showed that, in aldosterone-treated rats, hypertension is likely associated with increased oxidative stress in the aorta and with changes in the regulation of two key mitochondrial processes such as biogenesis and fusion/fission processes. The overall mitochondrial alterations observed in the study may play a role in aldosterone-derived vascular oxidative stress and hypertension.

Keywords:

Vascular, Mitochondria, Aldosterone, Oxidative stress, Hypertension, Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS).