title: Inhibition of oxidative stress and improvement of endothelial function by amlodipine in angiotensin II-infused rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Calcium channel blockers such as amlodipine are effective antihypertensive agents. In this study we investigated the effects of amlodipine on vascular oxidative stress, expression of the lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor (LOX-1), and endothelial function in angiotensin (Ang) II-infused rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with Ang II (0.7 mg/kg/day subcutaneously injected by mini-pump), with or without amlodipine (10 mg/kg/day by gavage), for 5 days and compared with control rats. Levels of aortic ring superoxide (O(2)(-)) and peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)) were determined, and systolic blood pressure (SBP) and endothelium-dependent relaxation were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with control rats, Ang II-infused rats developed hypertension (175 +/- 3 v 135 +/- 2 mm Hg, P <.05), aortic hypertrophy (16.9 +/- 1.3 v 13.2 +/- 0.3 mg/cm, P <.05), left ventricular hypertrophy (0.236 +/- 0.003 v 0.204 +/- 0.004 g/100 g body weight, P <.05), and impaired endothelium-dependent relaxation (ED(50): 6.6 +/- 0.2 v 8.0 +/- 0.2 -log mol/L acetylcholine concentration, P <.05). Compared with control rats, Ang II-infused rats also had higher aortic levels of LOX-1 mRNA expression, O(2)(-)production (1005 +/- 140 v 608 +/- 159 counts/min/mg, P <.05), ONOO(-) production (1875 +/- 295 v 782 +/- 115 counts/min/mg, P <.05), and plasma free 8-F(2)alpha-isoprostanes (67.4 +/- 19.1 v 27.2 +/- 6.1 pg/mL, P <.05). In Ang II-infused rats SBP, aortic hypertrophy, endothelial dysfunction, LOX-1 expression, aortic O(2)(-) and ONOO(-) production, and plasma free 8-F(2)alpha-isoprostane levels were significantly reduced by amlodipine treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Amlodipine has antihypertensive and antioxidant activity in vivo, which effectively inhibits many of the oxidative stress-dependent mechanisms involved in Ang II-mediated cardiovascular injury.
authors.affiliation: Nephrology and Hypertension Section, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 1201 NW 16th Street, Miami, FL 33125, USA.
authors.forename: Ming-Sheng
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Edgar A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Jaimes
authors.forename: Leopoldo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Raij
mesh_terms: D017311:Amlodipine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045462:Endothelium-Dependent Relaxing Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006973:Hypertension / Q000378:metabolism*; D028421:Isoprostanes / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011973:Receptors, LDL / Q000378:metabolism*; D051131:Receptors, Oxidized LDL; D051127:Scavenger Receptors, Class E
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D045462:Endothelium-Dependent Relaxing Factors; D028421:Isoprostanes; C495136:OLR1 protein, rat; D011973:Receptors, LDL; D051131:Receptors, Oxidized LDL; D051127:Scavenger Receptors, Class E; D000804:Angiotensin II; D017311:Amlodipine