Antihypertensive effect of etamicastat in dopamine D2 receptor-deficient mice

Hypertens Res. 2018 Jul;41(7):489-498. doi: 10.1038/s41440-018-0041-5. Epub 2018 Apr 13.

Abstract

Abnormalities of the D2R gene (DRD2) play a role in the pathogenesis of human essential hypertension; variants of the DRD2 have been reported to be associated with hypertension. Disruption of Drd2 (D2-/-) in mice increases blood pressure. The hypertension of D2-/- mice has been related, in part, to increased sympathetic activity, renal oxidative stress, and renal endothelin B receptor (ETBR) expression. We tested in D2-/- mice the effect of etamicastat, a reversible peripheral inhibitor of dopamine-β-hydroxylase that reduces the biosynthesis of norepinephrine from dopamine and decreases sympathetic nerve activity. Blood pressure was measured in anesthetized D2-/- mice treated with etamicastat by gavage, (10 mg/kg), conscious D2-/- mice, and D2+/+ littermates, and mice with the D2R selectively silenced in the kidney, treated with etamicastat in the drinking water (10 mg/kg per day). Tissue and urinary catecholamines and renal expression of selected G protein-coupled receptors, enzymes related to the production of reactive oxygen species, and sodium transporters were also measured. Etamicastat decreased blood pressure both in anesthetized and conscious D2-/- mice and mice with renal-selective silencing of D2R to levels similar or close to those measured in D2+/+ littermates. Etamicastat decreased cardiac and renal norepinephrine and increased cardiac and urinary dopamine levels in D2-/- mice. It also normalized the increased renal protein expressions of ETBR, NADPH oxidase isoenzymes, and urinary 8-isoprostane, as well as renal NHE3 and NCC, and increased the renal expression of D1R but not D5R in D2-/- mice. In conclusion, etamicastat is effective in normalizing the increased blood pressure and some of the abnormal renal biochemical alterations of D2-/- mice.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antihypertensive Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antihypertensive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Benzopyrans / pharmacology*
  • Benzopyrans / therapeutic use
  • Blood Pressure / drug effects*
  • Dopamine / metabolism
  • Hypertension / drug therapy*
  • Hypertension / genetics
  • Hypertension / metabolism
  • Imidazoles / pharmacology*
  • Imidazoles / therapeutic use
  • Kidney / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Norepinephrine / metabolism
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
  • Receptors, Dopamine D2 / genetics*
  • Receptors, Dopamine D2 / metabolism

Substances

  • Antihypertensive Agents
  • Benzopyrans
  • Imidazoles
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Receptors, Dopamine D2
  • etamicastat
  • Dopamine
  • Norepinephrine