Renal and cardiac oxidative/nitrosative stress in salt-loaded pregnant rat

• Published in: American journal of physiology. Regulatory, integrative and comparative physiology integrative and comparative physiology, 2007-10, Vol.293 (4), p.R1657-R1665
• Main Authors: Beausejour, Annie, Houde, Veronique, Bibeau, Karine, Gaudet, Rebecca, St-Louis, Jean, Brochu, Michele
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aconitate Hydratase - metabolism; Adenosine triphosphatase; Animals; Apoptosis - physiology; Cardiovascular system; Dinoprost - analogs & derivatives; Dinoprost - metabolism; Female; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; Heart - drug effects; Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced - chemically induced; Inflammation - metabolism; Kidney - drug effects; Kidneys; Nitric Oxide Synthase - genetics; Nitric Oxide Synthase - metabolism; Oxidation; Oxidative Stress; Pregnancy; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Rodents; Salt; Sodium; Sodium - pharmacology; Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase - metabolism
• ISSN: 0363-6119; 1522-1490
• DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00090.2007

Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Submitted 7 February 2007 ; accepted in final form 19 July 2007 Sodium supplementation given for 1 wk to nonpregnant rats induces changes that are adequate to maintain renal and circulatory homeostasis as well as arterial blood pressure. However, in pregnant rats, proteinuria, fetal growth restriction, and placental oxidative stress are observed. Moreover, the decrease in blood pressure and expansion of circulatory volume, normally associated with pregnancy, are prevented by high-sodium intake. We hypothesized that, in these pregnant rats, a loss of the balance between prooxidation and antioxidation, particularly in kidneys and heart, disturbs the normal course of pregnancy and leads to manifestations such as gestational hypertension. We thus investigated the presence of oxidative/nitrosative stress in heart and kidneys following high-sodium intake in pregnant rats. Markers of this stress [8-isoprostaglandin F 2 (8-iso-PGF 2 ) and nitrotyrosine], producer of nitric oxide [nitric oxide synthases (NOSs)], and antioxidants [superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase] were measured. Then, molecules (Na + -K + -ATPase and aconitase) or process [apoptosis (Bax and Bcl-2), inflammation (monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, connective tissue growth factor, and TNF- )] susceptible to free radicals was determined. In kidneys from pregnant rats on 1.8% NaCl-water, NOSs, apoptotic index, and nitrotyrosine expression were increased, whereas Na + -K + -ATPase mRNA and activity were decreased. In the left cardiac ventricle of these rats, heightened nitrotyrosine, 8-iso-PGF 2 , and catalase activity together with reduced endothelial NOS protein expression and SOD and aconitase activities were observed. These findings suggest that oxidative/nitrosative stress in kidney and left cardiac ventricle destabilizes the normal course of pregnancy and could lead to gestational hypertension. Na + -K + -ATPase; rat model of preeclampsia; high-sodium supplementation Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: M. Brochu, Research Centre, CHU Sainte-Justine, 3175 Côte Ste-Catherine, Montréal, QC, Canada, H3T 1C5 (e-mail: michele.brochu{at}umontreal.ca )