Epigenetic modification of the renin-angiotensin system in the fetal programming of hypertension.

ABSTRACT: Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. Lifelong environmental factors (eg, salt intake, obesity, alcohol) and genetic factors clearly contribute to the development of hypertension, but it has also been established that stress in utero may program the later development of the disease. This phenomenon, known as fetal programming can be modeled in a range of experimental animal models. In maternal low protein diet rat models of programming, administration of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor antagonists in early life can prevent development of hypertension, thus implicating the renin-angiotensin system in this process. Here we show that in this model, expression of the AT(1b) angiotensin receptor gene in the adrenal g

SUBMITTER: Bogdarina I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1976252 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature