AT1-receptor antagonism reverses the blood pressure elevation associated with diet-induced obesity

Carine M. Boustany, David R. Brown, David C. Randall, Lisa A. Cassis

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

62 Scopus citations

Abstract

Previous studies in our laboratory demonstrated that rats exhibiting obesity in response to a moderately high-fat (MHF) diet developed hypertension associated with activation of the local and systemic renin-angiotensin system. In this study, we examined the effect of the angiotensin type 1 (AT 1)-receptor antagonist, losartan, on blood pressure in obesity-prone (OP) and obesity-resistant (OR) rats fed a MHF diet. Using telemetry monitoring, we characterized the evolution of blood pressure elevations during the development of obesity. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were implanted with telemetry transducers for chronic monitoring of blood pressure, and baseline measurements were obtained. Rats were then switched to the MHF diet (32% kcal as fat) and were segregated into OP and OR groups at week 5. At week 9 on the MHF diet, OP rats exhibited significantly greater 24-h mean arterial blood pressure compared with OR rats (OP: 105 ± 4 mmHg, OR: 96 ± 2 mmHg; P < 0.05). Elevations in blood pressure in OP rats were manifest as an increase in systolic pressure. Administration of losartan to all rats at week 9 resulted in a reduction in blood pressure; however, losartan had the greatest effect in OP rats (percent decrease in mean arterial pressure by losartan; OP: 19 ± 4, OR: 10 ± 2%; P < 0.05). These results demonstrate that elevations in blood pressure occur subsequent to established obesity in rats fed a high-fat diet. Moreover, these results demonstrate the ability of losartan to reverse the blood pressure increase from diet-induced obesity, supporting a primary role for the renin-angiotensin system in obesity-associated hypertension.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)R181-R186
JournalAmerican Journal of Physiology - Regulatory Integrative and Comparative Physiology
Volume289
Issue number1 58-1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2005

Keywords

  • Angiotensin II
  • Obesity-induced hypertension

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Medicine

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