Alpha1A-adrenergic receptor-directed autoimmunity induces left ventricular damage and diastolic dysfunction in rats.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Agonistic autoantibodies to the alpha(1)-adrenergic receptor occur in nearly half of patients with refractory hypertension; however, their relevance is uncertain.

Methods/principal findings

We immunized Lewis rats with the second extracellular-loop peptides of the human alpha(1A)-adrenergic receptor and maintained them for one year. Alpha(1A)-adrenergic antibodies (alpha(1A)-AR-AB) were monitored with a neonatal cardiomyocyte contraction assay by ELISA, and by ERK1/2 phosphorylation in human alpha(1A)-adrenergic receptor transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells. The rats were followed with radiotelemetric blood pressure measurements and echocardiography. At 12 months, the left ventricles of immunized rats had greater wall thickness than control rats. The fractional

SUBMITTER: Wenzel K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2827566 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature