title: Vinegar decreases blood pressure by down-regulating AT1R expression via the AMPK/PGC-1α/PPARγ pathway in spontaneously hypertensive rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Vinegar has been reported to lower blood pressure, but its mechanism is unclear. This study explored whether vinegar plays antihypertensive effect by activating AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were assigned to vinegar, acetic acid, nifedipine, nifedipine + vinegar, or distilled water by oral gavage for 8 weeks. Blood and aortas were analyzed for biochemical indices and protein expression levels. Sv40-transformed aortic rat endothelia cell line (SVAREC) cells were treated with acetate at different doses for 24 h; protein expression levels were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Vinegar and acetic acid decreased blood pressure in SHRs on weeks 6 and 8, and nifedipine + vinegar had a better effect on blood pressure control than vinegar or nifedipine alone. Vinegar and acetic acid could decrease serum renin and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activities, angiotensin II and aldosterone concentrations in SHRs. Vinegar and acetic acid also increased AMP/ATP ratios and expression levels of pAMPK, PPARγ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α), and PPARγ while inhibited angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) expression in SHRs. The changes in these protein expressions were also found in SVAREC cells treated with 200 or 400 μmol/L acetate. In the presence of AMPK inhibitor or PGC-1α small interfering RNA, the effects of acetate on their downstream protein expression in SVAREC cells were abolished, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vinegar activates AMPK by increasing AMP/ATP ratios, thereby increases PGC-1α and PPARγ expressions, and inhibits AT1R expression in SHRs. Acetic acid is responsible for the antihypertensive effects of vinegar. There is a joint effect between vinegar and nifedipine in blood pressure control.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Public Health College, Harbin Medical University, 157 Baojian Road, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang Province, China.
authors.forename: Lixin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Na
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Public Health College, Harbin Medical University, 157 Baojian Road, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang Province, China.
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Public Health College, Harbin Medical University, 157 Baojian Road, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang Province, China.
authors.forename: Shuo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Public Health College, Harbin Medical University, 157 Baojian Road, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang Province, China.
authors.forename: Chunjuan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Public Health College, Harbin Medical University, 157 Baojian Road, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang Province, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Yuanxiu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Public Health College, Harbin Medical University, 157 Baojian Road, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang Province, China. liying_helen@163.com.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Public Health College, Harbin Medical University, 157 Baojian Road, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang Province, China. changhaosun2002@163.com.
authors.forename: Changhao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D055372:AMP-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019342:Acetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D015536:Down-Regulation; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D020868:Gene Silencing; D008297:Male; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000494:pharmacology; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000071248:Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY; D044140:Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012083:Renin / Q000097:blood; D015398:Signal Transduction; D019346:Sodium Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D047495:PPAR gamma; D000071248:Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D044140:Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1; D019346:Sodium Acetate; D055372:AMP-Activated Protein Kinases; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A; D012083:Renin; D009543:Nifedipine; D019342:Acetic Acid
keywords: AMPK; Angiotensin II type 1 receptor; Blood pressure; Vinegar