Gender differences in hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats - Role of androgens and androgen receptor

Reckelhoff, JF Zhang, HM Srivastava, K Granger, JP

Jf. Reckelhoff et al., Gender differences in hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats - Role of androgens and androgen receptor, HYPERTENSIO, 34(4), 1999, pp. 920-923

27

INGLESE

Article

Cardiovascular & Respiratory Systems","Cardiovascular & Hematology Research

HYPERTENSION

0194-911X → ACNP

34

4

1999

2

S

920 - 923

ISI

0194-911X(199910)34:4<920:GDIHIS>2.0.ZU;2-O

Males are at greater risk of cardiovascular and renal disease than an femal es. For trample, male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) have higher blo od pressures than females, Androgens have been strongly implicated in the h ypertension of male SHR, because castration attenuates the hypertension. Th is study determined whether the androgen receptor plays a role in hypertens ion in male SHR and whether testosterone alone can cause the hypertension o r whether conversion to dihydrotestosterone is necessary. Male SHR, aged 10 weeks, were given the androgen receptor antagonist flutamide (8 mg/kg SC; n = 8) or the 5 alpha-reductase inhibitor finasteride (30 mg . kg(-1) . d(- 1) SC; n = 11) daily for 5 to 6 weeks. Control rats (n = 10) received vehic le (20% benzyl benzoate or ethanol in castor oil). After 5 to 6 weeks, bloo d pressure (mean arterial pressure) and glomerular filtration rate were mea sured. Long-term flutamide treatment caused a reduction in mean arterial pr essure (control 178+/-5 mm Hg; flutamide 159+/-3 mm Hg; P<0.01), but finast eride had no effect (180+/-5 mm Hg). There were no differences in glomerula r filtration rate among the groups. These data indicate that hypertension i n male SHR is mediated via the androgen receptor and does not require conve rsion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone.