title: Effect of sodium on blood pressure, cardiac hypertrophy, and angiotensin receptor expression in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sodium-induced hypertensive cardiac hypertrophy is related to pressure and volume overload.
  
  
  METHODS
  Wistar rats were exposed to low and high sodium diet for 8 weeks. Angiotensin II receptor mRNA, abundance of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK), vasoconstriction of aortic rings, and angiotensin II-induced calcium increase were investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rats on high sodium diet showed significantly elevated blood pressure. Heart weight, AT1 receptor mRNA in cardiac and aortic tissues, and abundance of p38MAPK were significantly increased in rats on high sodium diet.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased AT1 receptor expression and angiotensin II-induced calcium increase are compensatory effects in sodium-induced hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hypertension and Endocrinology, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, PR China. zhuzm@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Zhiming
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Shanjun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Ziqian
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Daoyan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yongjian
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xianmei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jijin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tepel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D006332:Cardiomegaly / Q000209:etiology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011945:Receptors, Angiotensin / Q000187:drug effects*; D012982:Sodium, Dietary / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D011945:Receptors, Angiotensin; D012982:Sodium, Dietary; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases