Sex-linked differences in the mortality in Ren-2 transgenic hypertensive rats with aorto-caval fistula: effects of treatment with angiotensin converting enzyme alone and combined with inhibitor of soluble epoxide hydrolase

Physiol Res. 2019 Aug 29;68(4):589-601. doi: 10.33549/physiolres.934094. Epub 2019 Jun 6.

Abstract

We found recently that in Ren-2 transgenic hypertensive rats (TGR) addition of soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibitor (sEHi) to treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEi), surprisingly, increased the mortality due to heart failure (HF) induced by creation of the aorto-caval fistula (ACF). Since TGR exhibit sex-related differences in mortality, we examined here if such differentiation exists also in the response to the treatment with ACEi (trandolapril), alone or combined with sEHi [cis-4-[4-(3-adamantan-1-yl-ureido)cyclohexyloxy]benzoic acid, (c-AUCB)]. ACEi improved survival in males to 74 % (vs. 0 %) and in females to 65 % (vs. 32 %). ACEi and sEHi combined also improved the survival in male ACF TGR, however, it was significantly less (38 %) than after ACEi alone. In contrast, in females the combined treatment significantly improved the final survival rate (84 %). There were no significant sex-linked differences in survival rate in untreated or treated normotensive Hannover Sprague-Dawley rats. In conclusion, in HF patients with co-existing hypertension and RAS hyperactivity, the sex may co-determine the rate of HF progression, and can influence the effectiveness of the therapeutic measures applied. Therefore, in the relevant pre-clinical studies the sex-linked differences should be seriously considered. Our data indicate that TGR might be an optimal model for such studies.

MeSH terms

  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / administration & dosage*
  • Animals
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / administration & dosage
  • Epoxide Hydrolases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Epoxide Hydrolases / metabolism
  • Female
  • Hypertension / drug therapy
  • Hypertension / genetics
  • Hypertension / mortality*
  • Male
  • Mortality / trends
  • Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / metabolism
  • Random Allocation
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Rats, Transgenic
  • Renin* / genetics
  • Sex Characteristics*
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Vascular Fistula / drug therapy
  • Vascular Fistula / genetics
  • Vascular Fistula / mortality*

Substances

  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Ren2 protein, rat
  • Epoxide Hydrolases
  • EPHX2 protein, rat
  • Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A
  • Renin