title: Increased gene expression of the cardiac endothelin system in obese mice.
abstract: Obesity is a well-known risk factor of atherosclerosis and heart failure. In the human heart, a local endothelin system containing prepro-endothelin-1, endothelin-converting enzyme-1, and endothelin receptors A and B has been described. The endothelin system is activated in heart failure; however, the impact of obesity on the cardiac endothelin system is unknown. In this study, 18-week-old male C57BL/6 mice fed either a control diet or a high-fat diet for 10 weeks were analyzed. High-fat diet significantly increased the body weight of the animals and augmented low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, and cholesterol plasma levels, compared to control. The animal groups showed no significant differences in left ventricular size or function (heart rate, ejection fraction, fractional shortening, left ventricular posterior wall thickness, cardiac output) after control or high-fat diet. We did not observe signs of cardiac hypertrophy or changes in markers of cardiac fibrosis in these heart samples. The cardiac expression of prepro-endothelin-1 mRNA, endothelin-converting enzyme-1 mRNA, and protein and endothelin receptors A and B mRNA was increased in 18-week-old obese C57BL/6 mice compared to animals with normal weight (p<0.05 vs. control). Furthermore, endothelin-1 plasma levels showed an increasing trend. In conclusion, an increased expression of genes of the endothelin system was observed in the hearts of 18-week-old mice after high-fat diet, possibly contributing to later cardiovascular complications of obesity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine III, Division of Vascular Endothelium and Microcirculation, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Catar
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine III, Division of Vascular Endothelium and Microcirculation, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Muller
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine III, Division of Vascular Endothelium and Microcirculation, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brandt
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine III, Division of Vascular Endothelium and Microcirculation, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Langbein
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine III, Division of Vascular Endothelium and Microcirculation, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brunssen
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine III, Division of Vascular Endothelium and Microcirculation, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Goettsch
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine III, Division of Vascular Endothelium and Microcirculation, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Frenzel
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine III, Division of Vascular Endothelium and Microcirculation, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hofmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine III, Division of Vascular Endothelium and Microcirculation, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Goettsch
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiology, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Steinbronn
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiology, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Strasser
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine III, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schubert
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine III, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ludwig
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine III, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Bornstein
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine III, Division of Vascular Endothelium and Microcirculation, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Morawietz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D059305:Diet, High-Fat; D000072396:Endothelin-Converting Enzymes; D016232:Endothelins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D008297:Male; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D009765:Obesity / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017466:Receptors, Endothelin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D016232:Endothelins; D017466:Receptors, Endothelin; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases; C000606923:ECE1 protein, human; C000606925:Ece1 protein, mouse; D000072396:Endothelin-Converting Enzymes