title: Abdominal coarctation increases insulin-like growth factor I mRNA levels in rat aorta.
abstract: We have previously demonstrated specific insulin-like growth factor I (IGF I) mRNA transcripts in cultured endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells and postulated an important role for IGF I in blood vessel growth responses. The purpose of this study was to characterize IGF I gene expression in a model of aortic coarctation hypertension in the rat. This high-renin model of hypertension is associated with hyperplastic vascular responses. Northern analysis of rat aorta demonstrated four specific IGF I mRNA transcripts sized 7.6, 4.6, 1.8, and 0.9-1.2 kb. Quantitation of aortic IGF I mRNA levels by solution hybridization/RNase protection assay demonstrated induction of IGF I transcripts in the hypertensive aorta; levels more than doubled at 7 days and were still significantly elevated 21 days after coarctation. In situ hybridization analysis indicated that IGF I transcripts were localized primarily to adventitial surfaces in normotensive aorta, with minimal signal detected over vascular cells. In hypertensive aortas, there was an increase in IGF I transcripts primarily over vascular smooth muscle cells. Thus, vascular IGF I gene expression is induced in this model of high-renin hypertension. IGF I may play an important role in autocrine/paracrine-mediated vessel wall remodeling in hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Fath
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Delafontaine
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000737:chemistry*; D001017:Aortic Coarctation; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I