title: 11 beta-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase antisense affects vascular contractile response and glucocorticoid metabolism.
abstract: Glucocorticoids (GC's) are metabolized in vascular tissue by two isoforms of 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11 beta-HSD). 11 beta-HSD2 is unidirectional and metabolizes GC's to their respective inactive 11-dehydro derivatives. 11 beta-HSD1 is bi-directional, also possessing reductase activity and thus the ability to regenerate active GC from the 11-dehydro derivatives. In vascular tissue, GC's amplify the pressor responses to catecholamines and angiotensin II and may down-regulate certain depressor systems such as nitric oxide and prostaglandins. We hypothesize that both 11 beta-HSD2 and 11 beta-HSD1 regulate GC levels in vascular tissue and are part of additional mechanisms that control vascular tone. We examined the effects of specific antisense oligomers to 11 beta-HSD2 and 11 beta-HSD1 on GC metabolism and contractile response to phenylephrine (PE) in rat aortic rings. In aortic rings incubated (24 h) with corticosterone (B) (10 nmol/l) and 11 beta-HSD2 antisense (3 micromol/l), the contractile response to graded concentrations of PE (PE: 10 nmol/l - 1 micromol/l) were significantly (P < 0.05) increased compared to rings incubated with B and 11 beta-HSD2 nonsense. 11 beta-HSD1 antisense oligomers also enhanced the ability of B to amplify the contractile response to PE. In addition, 11 beta-HSD2 and 11 beta-HSD1 antisense also decreased the metabolism of B to 11-dehydro-B. 11-Dehydro-B (100 nmol/l) also amplified the contractile response to PE in aortic rings (P < 0.01), most likely due to the generation of active corticosterone by 11 beta-HSD1-reductase; this effect was significantly attenuated by 11 beta-HSD1 antisense. 11 beta-HSD1 antisense also caused a marked decrease in the metabolism of 11-dehydro-B back to B by 11 beta-HSD1-reductase. These findings underscore the importance of 11 beta-HSD2 and 11 beta-HSD1 in regulating local concentrations of GC's in vascular tissue. They also indicate that decreased 11 beta-HSD2 activity may be a possible mechanism in hypertension and that 11 beta-HSD1-reductase may be a possible target for anti-hypertensive therapy.
authors.affiliation: The Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI, USA.
authors.forename: Graham W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Souness
authors.forename: Andrew S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Brem
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Morris
mesh_terms: D043209:11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 2; D042842:11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases; D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000378:metabolism*; D006913:Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000502:physiology*; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014316:Tritium
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D014316:Tritium; D006913:Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases; D043209:11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 2; D042842:11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases; C003552:11-dehydrocorticosterone; D003345:Corticosterone