The role of hypertension-related gene in aortic vascular smooth muscle cells from mice and rats.
OBJECTIVE
To study the role of hypertension-related gene (HRG-1) in cardiovascular disease.


METHODS
The expression of HRG-1 was analyzed with RT-PCR and Northern blotting. Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation was measured with 3H-TdR incorporation and was confirmed with histological analysis.


RESULTS
Northern blot analysis showed that HRG-1 mRNA was expressed not only in VSMC, but also in various rat tissues (heart, brain, lung, kidney, and liver). In addition, the expression of HRG-1 mRNA in heart, brain, kidney and liver of spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) was lower than that in the same tissues of Wistar-Kyotorat (WKY). Semi-quantitative RT-PCR and histological analysis showed that the expression of HRG-1 mRNA in ApoE-knockout mice and in animal models of restenosis was decreased and neointimal formation was observed in both models. ET, AII, and IL-1 stimulating VSMC proliferation reduced the expression of HRG-1 mRNA of VSMC. Atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), calcitonin gene-related peptide and adrenomedullin, inhibited VSMC proliferation and elevated the expression of HRG-1 mRNA. These effects could be blocked or attenuated by their corresponding antagonists or antibodies.


CONCLUSIONS
HRG-1 is a gene related to VSMC proliferation. It may play an important role in several occlusive cardiovascular diseases including atherosclerosis, restenosis and hypertension.
Chen
G
G
Institute of Cardiovascular Research, Beijing Medical University, Beijing 100083, China.
Liu
N
N
Zhou
A
A
Tang
C
C
Ma
D
D
Tang
J
J
D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000166:cytology; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000235:genetics; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000235:genetics; D002455:Cell Division; D015870:Gene Expression; D006973:Hypertension / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D012333:RNA, Messenger