The renin-angiotensin system as a primary cause of polyarteritis nodosa in rats.

ABSTRACT: Polyarteritis nodosa is a necrotizing vasculitis of medium-sized arteries of unknown origin. Hypertension is present in 30% of patients with polyarteritis nodosa. In those cases, high renin levels are thought to be secondary to renal involvement. The present study was performed to identify causal factors of polyarteritis nodosa. In cyp1a1ren-2 transgenic rats, vasculitis of medium-sized arteries resembling classical polyarteritis nodosa can be induced. In this model, oral administration of indole-3-carbinol (I3C) activates the liver-specific cyp1a1 promoter, leading to prorenin expression in a dose-dependent manner. After the first 6 weeks of chronic induction with 0.125% I3C, the mean arterial pressure reached a plateau of about 170 mmHg. Ten out of 11 I3C-treated rats, which were chronic

SUBMITTER: Peters BS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3828848 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature