Aldosterone causes vasoconstriction in coronary arterioles of rats via angiotensin II type-1 receptor: Influence of hypertension

Aldosterone is involved in many cardiovascular diseases with increased oxidative stress. Aldosterone-induced cardiac fibrosis is abolished by blockade of angiotensin II Type-1 (AT1) receptor. Recently, non-genomic vasoconstrictor effects of aldosterone were reported in various vascular beds. We tested the hypothesis that aldosterone stimulates angiotensin AT1 receptor, and causes vasoconstriction by increasing oxidative stress in coronary microcirculation. Coronary arterioles (60–120 μm) were isolated from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and control Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats, aged 23–26 weeks. They were cannulated, and pressurized at 60 cm H2O. Effect of aldosterone (10− 15 to 10− 6 M) on coronary arteriolar diameter was examined. Aldosterone rapidly and dose-dependently decreased coronary arteriolar diameter in WKY rats and SHR (diameter changes, 8.4 ± 0.7% vs 13.9 ± 0.8%, P < 0.05). Aldosterone-induced vasoconstriction was enhanced by 1.6-folds in SHR compared to WKY rats (P < 0.05). Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist spironolactone (10− 6 M) did not influence aldosterone-induced vasoconstriction. Selective angiotensin AT1 receptor blocker valsartan (10− 4 M) or candesartan (10− 7 M) abolished aldosterone-induced vasoconstriction. Similarly, superoxide dismutase (SOD, 300 U/ml), and NADPH oxidase inhibitor apocynin (10− 4 M) abolished it. Moreover, the vasoconstrictor effect of aldosterone disappeared in denuded vessels. Real-time quantitative RT-PCR revealed that angiotensin AT1 receptor mRNA level in coronary arterioles of SHR was upregulated by 1.5-folds compared to that in WKY rats (P < 0.05). Aldosterone causes vasoconstriction in coronary arterioles, and this vasoconstrictor effect is enhanced by genetically defined hypertension. Aldosterone-induced vasoconstriction is mediated by angiotensin AT1 receptor presumably via oxidative stress.