title: The Role of CNS in the Effects of Salt on Blood Pressure.
abstract: Sympathetic nerve activity is involved in the pathogenesis of salt-sensitive hypertension. The central nervous system, which regulates sympathetic nerve activity and blood pressure, plays a pivotal role. Central sympathoexcitation is deeply involved in the pathogenesis of salt-sensitive hypertension, although the precise mechanisms have not been fully elucidated because of their complexity. The role of brain oxidative stress in sympathoexcitation has been suggested in some types of hypertensive animal models. We have shown that increased brain oxidative stress may elevate arterial pressure through central sympathoexcitation in salt-sensitive hypertension. Several other factors such as mineralocorticoid receptors, aldosterone, corticosterone, epithelial sodium channels, and angiotensin II also play important roles in central sympathetic activation, some of which can be associated with brain oxidative stress. Furthermore, brain paraventricular nucleus Gαi2-protein-mediated transduction has been recently reported as a candidate for the molecular mechanism countering the development of salt-sensitive hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology and Endocrinology, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan. mfujita-tky@umin.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Megumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Epigenetics, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. Toshiro.FUJITA@rcast.u-tokyo.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Toshiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujita
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary
keywords: Central nervous system; Gαi2-protein; Mineralocorticoid receptor; Oxidative stress; Salt-sensitive hypertension; Sympathetic nerve activity