ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the effect and mechanism of renal denervation combined with Losartan on cardiac hypertrophy in spontaneous hypertensive rats. Methods Spontaneous hypertensive rats with cardiac hypertrophy underwent renal denervation combined with following 4 weeks drug treatments. Transthoracic two-dimensional guided M-mode echocardiography was performed. The expression of hypertrophy-related gene was detected. Left ventricularmass index was calculated and histological sectionsstained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE). Results The characteristics of cardiac hypertrophy was observed in left ventricular tissues with HE staining in12 weeks old spontaneous hypertensive rats.The thickness was increased in those ventricular (IVSs, IVSd, LVPWs and LVPWd). After4 weeks after treatment, histological improvements were observed in both RDN and R+L groups compared with sham group. The improvement was more obvious in R+L group. Similar results were observed in histological sections, ventricular thicknesses (IVSs, IVSd, LVPWs and LVPWd), related-hypertrophy genes (ANP and β-MHC) expression, left ventricular mass idex (LVMI) and the protein expression of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6). Conculsion Renal denervation therapy can improve hypertensive-induced cardiac hypertrophy in spontaneous hypertensive rats. The effect was more significant when combined with Losartan. The mechanism might be involved in inhibiting inflammatory cytokines.