Inhalation of carbon monoxide is ineffective as a long-term therapy to reduce obesity in mice fed a high fat diet.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have demonstrated that induction of heme oxygenase-1 results in weight loss in several rodent models of obesity. However, the specific role of the heme oxygenase-1 metabolite, carbon monoxide (CO), in this response has yet to be established. We recently reported that chronic treatment with CO releasing molecules results in prevention of weight gain in mice fed a high fat diet. In the present study, we sought to determine the effect of chronic CO inhalation on the development and reversal of high fat diet induced obesity. RESULTS: CO inhalation at both levels initially resulted in a prevention and reversal of body weight and fat mass over the first 10 weeks of treatment, however, this effect was not sustained. CO inhalation in the prevention groups also had an early effect to lower fasting blood glucose but this effect also was not sustained. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that CO inhalation has a transient effect to prevent and reduce body weight which is not sustained chronically in mice fed a high fat diet. These results suggest that chronic CO inhalation therapy is not an effective treatment to induce long term weight loss.

Sex-specific effects of heme oxygenase-2 deficiency on renovascular hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Heme oxygenase-2 (HO-2) is the main isoform responsible for the breakdown of heme and release of carbon monoxide in the vasculature. Vascular-derived carbon monoxide protects against excessive vasoconstriction due to agents such as angiotensin II (Ang II) and in states of deficiency of nitric oxide. The current study was designed to determine the role of HO-2 in the development of renovascular hypertension using HO-2 knockout mice. METHODS: Polyurethane cuffs were placed around the left renal artery of male and female HO-2 wild-type (WT), heterozygous (HET), and knockout (KO) mice between 16 and 24 weeks of age to induce renovascular hypertension. After 3 weeks, blood pressure was measured for 5 days, after which time both clipped and unclipped kidneys were harvested. RESULTS: No differences were observed in the blood pressure of sham mice between the different genotypes of both sexes. Cuffing of the left renal artery resulted in a significant increase in blood pressure in all genotypes of both sexes. In male mice, the increase in blood pressure was significantly greater in HET and KO mice as compared to WT mice (P < .05). This effect was not observed in female mice. Renovascular hypertension resulted in a significant increase (P < .05) in cardiac hypertrophy in male mice, which was not different between the genotypes. In female mice, HET and KO mice exhibited significantly greater (P < .05) cardiac hypertrophy as compared with WT mice. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate a sex-specific effect of HO-2 deficiency on the development of renovascular hypertension and its effects on the heart in response to the increase in blood pressure.

Antihypertensive actions of moderate hyperbilirubinemia: role of superoxide inhibition.

BACKGROUND: Moderate (approximately 2-fold) increases in plasma unconjugated bilirubin levels are able to attenuate the development of angiotensin II (Ang II)-dependent hypertension. To determine the specific role of decreases in superoxide production to the blood pressure-lowering effects of moderate hyperbilirubinemia (MHyB), we performed this study, in which the Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase inhibitor apocynin was given to Ang II-infused mice in the presence and absence of moderate hyperbilirubinemia. METHODS: Apocynin (14mM) was administered in the drinking water prior to treatment with UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 antisense morpholino (16 µg/kg), which was administered by intravenous injection every third day. Treatments were started before the implantation of Ang II-containing minipumps (1µg/kg/min) and continued throughout the protocol. RESULTS: Ang II infusion increased blood pressure to 145±2mm Hg. Apocynin treatment alone reduced blood pressure to 135±5mm Hg, whereas MHyB alone decreased blood pressure to 118±5mm Hg in Ang II-infused mice. Prior inhibition of NADPH oxidase with apocynin did not result in a further decrease in blood pressure in MHyB mice, which averaged 117±3mm Hg (n = 6 mice per group). In aortic preparations, apocynin treatment decreased Ang II-mediated superoxide production from 2433±120 relative light units (RLU)/min/mg to 1851±126 RLU/min/mg (n = 4 mice per group), which was similar to levels observed in MHyB mice alone (1473±132 RLU/min/mg) or in combination with apocynin (1503±115 RLU/min/mg). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that MHyB lowers blood pressure by a mechanism that is partially dependent on the inhibition of superoxide production.

Impaired myogenic constriction of the renal afferent arteriole in a mouse model of reduced ßENaC expression.

Previous studies demonstrate a role for ß epithelial Na(+) channel (ßENaC) protein as a mediator of myogenic constriction in renal interlobar arteries. However, the importance of ßENaC as a mediator of myogenic constriction in renal afferent arterioles, the primary site of development of renal vascular resistance, has not been determined. We colocalized ßENaC with smooth muscle α-actin in vascular smooth muscle cells in renal arterioles using immunofluorescence. To determine the importance of ßENaC in myogenic constriction in renal afferent arterioles, we used a mouse model of reduced ßENaC (ßENaC m/m) and examined pressure-induced constrictor responses in the isolated afferent arteriole-attached glomerulus preparation. We found that, in response to a step increase in perfusion pressure from 60 to 120 mmHg, the myogenic tone increased from 4.5 ± 3.7 to 27.3 ± 5.2% in +/+ mice. In contrast, myogenic tone failed to increase with the pressure step in m/m mice (3.9 ± 0.8 to 6.9 ± 1.4%). To determine the importance of ßENaC in myogenic renal blood flow (RBF) regulation, we examined the rate of change in renal vascular resistance following a step increase in perfusion pressure in volume-expanded animals. We found that, following a step increase in pressure, the rate of myogenic correction of RBF is inhibited by 75% in ßENaC m/m mice. These findings demonstrate that myogenic constriction in afferent arterioles is dependent on normal expression of ßENaC.

Renal inflammation and elevated blood pressure in a mouse model of reduced {beta}-ENaC.

Previous studies suggest ß-epithelial Na(+) channel protein (ß-ENaC) may mediate myogenic constriction, a mechanism of blood flow autoregulation. A recent study demonstrated that mice with reduced levels of ß-ENaC (ß-ENaC m/m) have delayed correction of whole kidney blood flow responses, suggesting defective myogenic autoregulatory capacity. Reduced renal autoregulatory capacity is linked to renal inflammation, injury, and hypertension. However, it is unknown whether ß-ENaC m/m mice have any complications associated with reductions in autoregulatory capacity such as renal inflammation, injury, or hypertension. To determine whether the previously observed altered autoregulatory control was associated with indicators of renal injury, we evaluated ß-ENaC m/m mice for signs of renal inflammation and tissue remodeling using marker expression. We found that inflammatory and remodeling markers, such as IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α, collagen III and transforming growth factor-ß, were significantly upregulated in ß-ENaC m/m mice. To determine whether renal changes were associated with changes in long-term control of blood pressure, we used radiotelemetry and found that 5-day mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) was significantly elevated in ß-ENaC m/m (120 ± 3 vs. 105 ± 2 mmHg, P = 0.016). Our findings suggest loss of ß-ENaC is associated with early signs of renal injury and increased MAP.