Apigenin Improves Hypertension and Cardiac Hypertrophy Through Modulating NADPH Oxidase-Dependent ROS Generation and Cytokines in Hypothalamic Paraventricular Nucleus

Cardiovasc Toxicol. 2021 Sep;21(9):721-736. doi: 10.1007/s12012-021-09662-1. Epub 2021 Jun 2.

Abstract

Apigenin, identified as 4', 5, 7-trihydroxyflavone, is a natural flavonoid compound that has many interesting pharmacological activities and nutraceutical potential including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant functions. Chronic, low-grade inflammation and oxidative stress are involved in both the initiation and progression of hypertension and hypertension-induced cardiac hypertrophy. However, whether or not apigenin improves hypertension and cardiac hypertrophy through modulating NADPH oxidase-dependent reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and inflammation in hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) has not been reported. This study aimed to investigate the effects of apigenin on hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and its possible central mechanism of action. SHRs and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats were randomly assigned and treated with bilateral PVN infusion of apigenin or vehicle (artificial cerebrospinal fluid) via osmotic minipumps (20 μg/h) for 4 weeks. The results showed that after PVN infusion of apigenin, the mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate, plasma norepinephrine (NE), Beta 1 receptor in kidneys, level of phosphorylation of PKA in the ventricular tissue and cardiac hypertrophy, perivascular fibrosis, heart level of oxidative stress, PVN levels of oxidative stress, interleukin 1β (IL-1β), interleukin 6 (IL-6), iNOS, monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), NOX2 and NOX4 were attenuated and PVN levels of interleukin 10 (IL-10), superoxide dismutase 1 (Cu/Zn-SOD) and the 67-kDa isoform of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD67) were increased. These results revealed that apigenin improves hypertension and cardiac hypertrophy in SHRs which are associated with the down-regulation of NADPH oxidase-dependent ROS generation and inflammation in the PVN.

Keywords: Apigenin; Cytokines; Hypertension; Hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus; Oxidative stress.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antihypertensive Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology*
  • Apigenin / pharmacology*
  • Arterial Pressure / drug effects
  • Cardiomegaly / drug therapy*
  • Cardiomegaly / enzymology
  • Cardiomegaly / physiopathology
  • Cytokines / metabolism*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Fibrosis
  • Hypertension / drug therapy*
  • Hypertension / enzymology
  • Hypertension / physiopathology
  • Male
  • Myocardium / metabolism
  • Myocardium / pathology
  • NADPH Oxidases / genetics
  • NADPH Oxidases / metabolism*
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects*
  • Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus / drug effects*
  • Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus / enzymology
  • Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus / physiopathology
  • Rats
  • Rats, Inbred SHR
  • Rats, Inbred WKY
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism*
  • Ventricular Function, Left / drug effects
  • Ventricular Remodeling / drug effects

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Antihypertensive Agents
  • Antioxidants
  • Cytokines
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Apigenin
  • NADPH Oxidases