Effect of early diabetes on the expression of alpha‐1 adrenoceptors in aorta of Wistar Kyoto and Spontaneously Hypertensive rats

Abstract

Adrenergic receptors play an important role in the regulation of blood pressure. Diabetes and hypertension affect this mechanism producing changes in vascular responses and exacerbating cardiovascular diseases. Several studies have mentioned that vascular changes are different in the early versus advanced stages of diabetes. For instance, in a recent study by our work group, a decrease in the vasopressor response to noradrenaline was found at 4 weeks of the diabetes evolution in Wistar Kyoto (WKY) and Spontaneously Hypertensive rats (SHR). Among the changes that could take place in the early stages of diabetes to cause this decrease in vascular response is a decrease in the expression of alpha‐1 adrenergic receptors. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess the expression of the three subtypes of alpha‐1 adrenergic receptors (alpha‐1A, alpha‐1B, alpha‐1D) in the aorta of WKY and SHR with 4 weeks of the evolution of diabetes. The results showed that whereas the condition of diabetes in WKY rats did not modify significantly the expression of alpha‐1 adrenoceptors, in SHR led to a significative decrease in the expression of both alpha‐1A and alpha‐1B receptors, with no change observed in alpha‐1D expression. In conclusion, the early stages of diabetes produce modifications in the expression of alpha‐1 adrenergic receptors that could explain the decrease found in vascular responses.This work was supported by a CONACYT grant (#82599) and SIP grant (#20110176) COFAA‐ IPN.