title: Cardiovascular and renal effects of a collagen cross-link breaker (ALT 711) in adult and aged spontaneously hypertensive rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Increased formation of advanced glycosylation end-products on body proteins is a consequence of aging and leads to exaggerated collagen cross-linking eventually increasing cardiovascular stiffness. This study reports our initial inquires into the cardiovascular and renal effects of a cross-link breaker (ALT-711) in aged spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The first experiment, in 45-week-old SHR, showed that (among four doses) the dose of 1 mg/kg/d of ALT-711 given for 4 months was most effective in reducing left ventricular and aortic mass indexes. ALT-711 also reduced left ventricular hydroxyproline concentration (5.8 +/- 0.2 v 5.1 +/- 0.3 mg/g in controls, P < .05); however, it did not affect systemic or regional hemodynamics. In older SHR, ALT-711 (1 mg/kg/d) reduced (P < .05) systolic pressure (tail-cuff) (from 203 +/- 3 mm Hg at outset to 187 +/- 3 mm Hg at 8 weeks). Systolic pressure remained unchanged in placebo-treated rats. In addition, left ventricular index (3.09 +/- 0.10 v 3.44 +/- 0.05 mg/g) and aortic mass index (1.54 +/- 0.04 v 1.74 +/- 0.05 mg/mm) were reduced by ALT-711. In the third experiment, 1-year-old SHR were given vehicle or ALT-711 (1 mg/kg/d) or placebo until natural death. After 3 months, ALT-711 markedly reduced urinary protein excretion (74.5 +/- 8.6 v 135.4 +/- 11.8 mg/24 h). Echocardiographic studies, performed at the outset and after 3 and 6 months, revealed two changed indexes. Left ventricular end-diastolic diameter increased more in control than in ALT rats, whereas E-wave deceleration time decreased more in control than in ALT rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Therapy with ALT-711 exerted beneficial cardiovascular and renal effects in aged SHR, improving systolic pressure, left ventricular mass, geometry, and hydroxyproline content while reducing urinary protein excretion.
authors.affiliation: Hypertension Research Laboratory, Ochsner Clinic Foundation, New Orleans, Louisiana 70121, USA. dsusic@ochsner.org
authors.forename: Dinko
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Susic
authors.forename: Jasmina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Varagic
authors.forename: Jwari
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Edward D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Frohlich
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000187:drug effects; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000187:drug effects*; D003326:Coronary Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006909:Hydroxyproline / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007668:Kidney / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects*; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D013844:Thiazoles; C406794:alagebrium; D006909:Hydroxyproline