Increased alpha-1 adrenoceptor expression in pregnant rats with subrenal aortic coarctation.
The progression of pregnancy is associated with attenuation in vasopressor response to adrenergic agonists. In pregnancy-induced hypertension this attenuation is reverted. It is not known if this reversion involves alpha-1 adrenoceptor expression.


OBJECTIVE
In this work we propose that in pregnant rats with subrenal aortic coarctation there are changes in the expression of alpha-1 adrenergic receptors in the thoracic and abdominal aorta during pregnancy.


METHODS
We used non-pregnant, normal pregnant and pregnant with subrenal aortic coarctation female Wistar rats. Pregnancy-induced hypertension indicators, systolic blood pressure, 24 hours proteinuria, pup weight and maternal weight were measured. Dose response curves to phenylephrine were carried out to determine vascular reactivity along pregnancy. Alpha 1-adrenoceptors were detected from thoracic and abdominal aorta using immunoblot.


RESULTS
Results show significant increases in arterial pressure and proteinuria in pregnant rats with SRAC at the end of the third week. Pregnancy reduces alpha-(1-A, -B) and (-D) adrenoceptor expression and this event is reverted by subrenal aortic coarctation. This phenomenon is more apparent in the abdominal segment of the aorta.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that subrenal aortic coarctation is a good animal model of pregnancy-induced hypertension and that alpha1-adrenoceptors participate in its physiopathology increasing their expression in a segment-dependent manner.
Departamento de Fisiología y Farmacología, Escuela Superior de Medicina del IPN, Casco de Santo Tomás, México.
Ismael
I
Bracho-Valdés
Daniel
D
Godínez-Hernández
Belen
B
Arroyo-Vicelis
Rosa A
RA
Bobadilla-Lugo
Pedro
P
López-Sánchez
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D001017:Aortic Coarctation / Q000378:metabolism*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018340:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1 / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
D018340:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D010656:Phenylephrine