ABSTRACT
Objective This study was designed to determine the effect of transient receptor potential vanilloid type 4(TRPV4)on angiotensin Ⅱ(Ang Ⅱ)-induced renal injury in TRPV4-null mutant(TRPV4 -/-)mice. Methods The mice were divided into sham group and Ang Ⅱ-treated group. Ang Ⅱ was infused systemically into wild type(WT)and TRPV4 -/- mice via a miniosmotic pump for 4 weeks, and the sham mice were given with normal saline. Systolic blood pressure,urinary excretion of albumin and 8-isoprostane, serum creatinine, and the pathological changes in the kidney tissues were assayed after the 4-week treatment. Results Compared with corresponding sham mice,Ang Ⅱ infusion led to enhanced systolic blood pressure,increased urinary excretion of albumin and 8-isoprostane,increased serum creatinine(P< 0.05),and enhanced glomerulosclerosis degree and renal tubulointerstitial injury index(P< 0.05)in the WT and TRPV4 -/- mice. The result were associated with enhanced collagen levels in the kidney(P< 0.05). All of them were attenuated by the deletion of TRPV4 in the absence of alteration in blood pressure(P< 0.05). Conclusions Deletion of TRPV4 could alleviate renal injury during Ang Ⅱ-induced hypertension, suggesting that TRPV4 may contribute to the pathophysiology of angiotensin Ⅱ-induced renal injury.