Induction of ICE and inhibition of c-fos, jun D and zif 268 in 12-month old spontaneously hypertensive rats

Abstract

A semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay was used to examine ICE, c-fos, jun D and zif 268 mRNA expression in the aortic and renal artery of 12-month old SHRs and wistar rats. Using this assay system, it was observed that the levels of aortic and renal artery expression of ICE were markedly higher in SHRs than in wistar rats. In contrast, the aortic and renal artery expression of immediate early genes (IEGs), c-fos, jun D and zif 268, were significant lower in SHRs than in wistar rats. Thus, our results suggest that differential regulation of death gene ICE and IEGs such as c-fos, jun D and zif 268 might be involved in the mechanism of pathogenesis of hypertension.