Urinary 6-keto PGF1 Alpha Research Articles

A polymorphism in the cyclooxygenase 2 gene as an inherited protective factor against myocardial infarction and stroke.

Myocardial infarction (MI) and ischemic stroke are thought to be caused by matrix digestion by metalloproteinases (MMPs) leading to rupture of atherosclerotic plaques. Production of macrophage MMP-2 and MMP-9 is induced by cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) and prostaglandin E(2) synthesis. Although COX-2 expression may be genetically determined, the relation between COX-2 polymorphisms and the risk of MI and stroke is unclear. To investigate the relationship between the -765G-->C polymorphism of the COX-2 gene and clinically evident plaque rupture. Prospective, matched case-control study conducted between March 2002 and October 2003 among 864 patients with first MI or atherothrombotic ischemic stroke and 864 hospitalized controls. The groups were matched for age, sex, body mass index, smoking, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and diabetes. The -765G-->C variant of the COX-2 gene was genotyped by restriction endonuclease digestion of polymerase chain reaction products. Presence of the -765G-->C polymorphism of the COX-2 gene; COX-2, MMP-2, and MMP-9 expression and activity in plaques and in peripheral monocytes; urinary 6-keto PGF1alpha (marker of endothelial prostacyclin); and endothelium-dependent and -independent forearm blood flow vasodilation. The prevalence of -765GC was 2.41 times higher among controls than among cases (43.3% vs 17.9%; P<.001). The prevalence of -765CC homozygosity was 5.81 times higher (6.4% vs 1.1%; P =.04). Among participants carrying the -765GC and -765CC genotypes, the prevalence ratios for MI or stroke were 0.48 (95% CI, 0.36-0.68) and 0.33 (95% CI, 0.24-0.55), respectively. Expression of COX-2 and MMPs was significantly lower in atherosclerotic plaques from participants carrying the -765C allele, while the -765G-->C polymorphism did not affect endothelial prostacyclin biosynthesis or endothelium-dependent vasodilation in vivo. In subgroup analyses (n = 224 cases), serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein was significantly lower in patients carrying the -765C allele (mean [SD], 0.78 [0.1] vs 2.56 [0.4] mg/L; P =.04). We found that the -765G-->C polymorphism of the COX-2 gene is associated with a decreased risk of MI and stroke. Detection of this genotype may be useful for predicting genetic risk of MI and stroke.

Amelioration of polyuria in nephrogenic diabetes insipidus due to aquaporin-2 deficiency.

We have recently reported a large cluster of patients with nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI) due to an autosomal recessive aquaporin-2 (AQP-2) early-stop codon. This paper describes the clinical manifestations and evaluation of therapeutic approaches to this new entity. Nine patients with an AQP-2 mutation were studied. Urine osmolality was measured in five patients before and at 3 x 30 min intervals after desmopressin given in increasing doses of 5-100 micrograms. Urinary prostaglandins PGE2 and 6-keto PGF1 alpha, were extracted from 24-h urine samples and estimated by radioimmunoassays. Eight NDI patients were given a combination of a low-sodium diet and hydrochlorothiazide. Four to 11 weeks later, ibuprofen was added, and the patients were retested within the following 4-9 weeks. Urine osmolality remained unchanged after supra-pharmacological doses of desmopressin, at 60-70 mOsm/kg. Urinary PGE2 in control subjects was 0.74 +/- 0.1 microgram/g creatinine (mean +/- SD) compared to 5.0 +/- 2.6 micrograms/g creatinine in AQP-2 deficient patients (P < 0.05). Urinary 6-keto PGF1 alpha, was 0.20 +/- 0.03 microgram/g creatinine in controls and 0.75 +/- 0.31 microgram/g creatinine in AQP-2 deficiency (P < 0.05). Urinary volumes decreased by a mean 31% on a low-salt diet and hydrochlorothiazide, and by a mean of 38% on the combination therapy. Plasma osmolality decreased by a mean 15 mOsm/kg on the low-salt diet and hydrochlorothiazide, and by 22 mOsm/kg on the combination therapy. Urinary osmolality increased from a mean 80 mOsm/kg to 96 mOsm/kg on the low-salt diet and hydrochlorothiazide, and to 146 mOsm/kg on the combination therapy. AQP-2 deficiency in these patients with an early-stop codon is associated with complete unresponsiveness of the collecting duct to vasopressin, implying an indispensable role for AQP-2 in vasopressin antidiuresis. Urinary PGE2 and 6-keto PGF1 alpha are elevated, the former being extremely high, apparently due to the extreme vasopressin unresponsiveness. Combination therapy with a combination of a low-salt diet, thiazide and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug is partially effective.

Hemodynamic and Humoral Interactions Between Perindopril and Indomethacin in Essential Hypertensive Subjects

To evaluate whether perindopril, a carboxyl-containing new angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, exerts its antihypertensive action through the stimulation of prostaglandin synthesis, 10 uncomplicated essential hypertensive patients randomly received indomethacin (50 mg b.i.d.) or the corresponding placebo for 1 week and the reverse treatment after 2 weeks. Perindopril alone tended to reduce serum and urinary thromboxane B2 (TxB2) and to raise urinary 6-ketoPGF1 alpha and PGE2 and inhibited serum ACE activity 24 h post dosing by about 85%. Indomethacin, which significantly inhibited serum TxB2 and urinary TxB2, 6-ketoPGF1 alpha, and PGE2 without interfering with the inhibitory effect of perindopril on ACE, significantly reduced the antihypertensive action of perindopril alone by about 30%, but decreased though not significantly that of perindopril plus placebo. Although the size of the study limits the interpretation, these findings suggest that the stimulation of prostaglandin synthesis plays only a minor role in the antihypertensive action of perindopril.

The Protective Effect of Thromboxane Synthetase Inhibition on Renal Function in Systemic Sepsis

To study the role of thromboxane in systemic sepsis and renal failure, peritonitis was induced surgically in 22 sheep, leading to local and systemic sepsis. A selective thromboxane synthetase inhibitor, U63,557A (Upjohn Co, Kalamazoo, MI) was given before surgery in five animals and 30 minutes after surgery in five animals. A typical picture of volume-loaded, normotensive, vasodilated septic shock developed in all animals. Twenty four hours after induction of sepsis, the control group showed a marked reduction in glomerular filtration rate (GFR), urine volume, and urinary sodium excretion. Pretreated animals showed no change in GFR and a smaller reduction in urine volume and sodium excretion. The posttreatment group showed no change in any parameters of renal function. Plasma renin activity, urinary TXB2 excretion, and urinary 6-keto PGF1 alpha excretion increased after 24 hours only in the control group. Urinary TXB2 excretion was reduced by 80% in animals given U63,557A before surgery. The results indicate a significant protective effect of U63,557A on renal function during septic shock, probably related to reduced thromboxane synthesis, with no apparent deleterious systemic effects. The results support a role for thromboxane in the pathogenesis of acute renal failure in systemic sepsis.

Antihypertensive Effect of Enalapril in Essential Hypertension: Role of Prostacyclin

The effects of enalapril alone and in combination with the cyclooxygenase inhibitors sulindac and indomethacin on blood pressure (BP), plasma aldosterone, renin activity and converting enzyme activity were evaluated in 29 patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension, 26 of whom had low plasma renin activity. Patients were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups. All patients underwent a 4-week placebo phase (phase I), then received enalapril (20 mg BID) for 4 weeks (phase II). In phase III, group I (n = 10) continued on enalapril alone; group II (n = 9) received sulindac 200 mg BID plus enalapril, and group III (n = 10) received indomethacin 50 mg BID plus enalapril, all for 4 weeks. Enalapril lowered BP significantly (mean supine BP 149/100 in phase I vs. 134/90 in phase II, p less than 0.05) without inhibiting aldosterone production. The BP effect was not blunted by concomitant administration of sulindac or indomethacin. Enalapril lowered converting enzyme activity to 25% to 30% of baseline and tended to increase renin activity. In the 10 patients who received indomethacin (group III), the effects of enalapril alone and enalapril plus indomethacin on urinary excretion of 6-keto prostaglandin F1 alpha (PGF1 alpha), a stable metabolite of prostacyclin (PGI2), were examined. Enalapril increased urinary 6-keto PGF1 alpha in group III from 118 +/- 23 to 194 +/- 38 ng/g creatinine (p less than 0.05), while addition of indomethacin reduced 6-keto PGF1 alpha to basal levels (138 +/- 26 ng/g creatinine).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effects of Dietary Linoleic Acid on Blood Pressure and Renal Function in Subtotally Nephrectomized Rats

The effect of a high linoleic acid diet on blood pressure, renal function, and urinary prostaglandin excretion was studied in rats with decreased renal mass. Subtotally nephrectomized (5/6 nephrectomy) male rats received either a 15% linoleic acid (high linoleic acid, HLA) diet containing 20% safflower oil or a 0.28% linoleic acid (low linoleic acid, LLA) diet containing 20% coconut oil. Sham-operated rats were also placed on either HLA or LLA diet. The subtotal nephrectomized rats developed similar degrees of hypertension during the first 3 weeks after subtotal nephrectomy. However, 4 weeks after subtotal nephrectomy, the rats on HLA diet had significantly lower blood pressure than the rats on LLA diet [HLA 152 +/- 3 (mean +/- SE) mm Hg versus LLA 171 +/- 3 mm Hg]. This difference persisted until termination of the experiment at 7 weeks after subtotal nephrectomy (HLA 159 +/- 7 mm Hg versus LLA 192 +/- 6 mm Hg). The GFR measured 7 weeks after subtotal nephrectomy was significantly lower in both of the subtotally nephrectomized groups. However, the HLA subtotal nephrectomized rats had significantly higher GFR than the LLA-treated rats (HLA 0.23 +/- 0.05 ml/min 100 g versus LLA 0.12 +/- 0.02 ml/min/100 g, P less than 0.05). There was no difference in the GFR or blood pressure in the sham-operated rats treated with HLA or LLA diet. PGE2 excretion was lower in the two groups of subnephrectomized rats, but there was no difference between the HLA and LLA treated rats. Urinary 6-ketoPGF1 alpha was not decreased by subtotal nephrectomy and there was no difference between the dietary groups. However, TXB2 excretion was higher in the groups with subtotal nephrectomy, but there was no difference between the two dietary groups. In conclusion, the HLA diet attenuates the rise in blood pressure after subtotal nephrectomy in the rat and preserves renal function. There was no difference in urinary excretion of PGE2, 6-keto-PFG1 alpha, or thromboxane B2 between the two dietary groups.