title: Effects of estrogen replacement on stress-induced cardiovascular responses via renin-angiotensin system in ovariectomized rats.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine whether chronic estrogen replacement in ovariectomized rats inhibits the pressor response to psychological stress by attenuating the activation of the renin-angiotensin system. Female Wistar rats aged 9 wk were ovariectomized. After 4 wk, the rats were randomly assigned to be implanted subcutaneously with pellets containing either 17β-estradiol (E2) or placebo (Pla). After 4 wk of treatment, the rats underwent cage-switch stress and, in a separate experiment, a subset received an infusion of angiotensin II. The cage-switch stress rapidly elevated blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) as measured by radiotelemetry in both groups. However, the BP and HR responses to the stress were significantly attenuated in the E2 group compared with the Pla group. An angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker, losartan, given in drinking water, abolished the difference in the pressor response to stress between the two groups. Moreover, the stress-induced elevation in plasma renin activity and angiotensin II concentration was significant in the Pla group, but not in the E2 group. In addition, the expression of renin mRNA in the kidney was lower in the E2 group relative to the Pla group. Finally, we found that intravenous angiotensin II infusion increased BP and decreased HR to a similar degree in both groups. These results suggest that the inhibitory effects of estrogen on psychological stress-induced activation of the renin-angiotensin system could be at least partially responsible for the suppression of the pressor responses to psychological stress seen in estrogen-replaced ovariectomized rats.
authors: Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Life Science and Human Technology, Nara Women's University, Kita-Uoya Nishi-machi, Japan.
authors: Shoko
authors: S
authors: Tazumi
authors: Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Life Science and Human Technology, Nara Women's University, Kita-Uoya Nishi-machi, Japan.
authors: Naoko
authors: N
authors: Yokota
authors: Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Life Science and Human Technology, Nara Women's University, Kita-Uoya Nishi-machi, Japan.
authors: Mizuho
authors: M
authors: Kawakami
authors: Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Life Science and Human Technology, Nara Women's University, Kita-Uoya Nishi-machi, Japan.
authors: Sayo
authors: S
authors: Omoto
authors: Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Life Science and Human Technology, Nara Women's University, Kita-Uoya Nishi-machi, Japan.
authors: Akira
authors: A
authors: Takamata
authors: Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Life Science and Human Technology, Nara Women's University, Kita-Uoya Nishi-machi, Japan kmorimot@cc.nara-wu.ac.jp.
authors: Keiko
authors: K
authors: Morimoto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010052:Ovariectomy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D004958:Estradiol
keywords: blood pressure; estradiol; ovariectomized rat; psychological stress; renin-angiotensin system