Improved Renal Denervation Mitigated Hypertension Induced by Angiotensin II Infusion

Summary

Here, we present a protocol for renal sympathetic denervation (RDN) in mice with hypertension induced by Angiotensin II infusion. The procedure is repeatable, convenient and allows to study the regulatory mechanisms of RDN on hypertension and cardiac hypertrophy.

Abstract

The benefits of renal sympathetic denervation (RDN) on blood pressure have been proved in a large number of clinical trials in recent years. However, the regulatory mechanism of RDN on hypertension remains elusive. Thus, it's essential to establish a simpler RDN model in mice. In this study, osmotic mini pumps filled with Angiotensin II were implanted in 14-week-old C57BL/6 mice. One week after the implantation of the mini-osmotic pump, a modified RDN procedure was performed on bilateral renal arteries of the mice using phenol. Age-sex-matched mice were given saline and served as sham group. Blood pressure was measured at baseline and every week subsequently for 21 days. Then, renal artery, abdominal aorta and heart were collected for histological examination using H&E and Masson staining. In this study, we present a simple, practical, repeatable, and standardized RDN model, which can control hypertension and alleviate cardiac hypertrophy. The technique can denervate peripheral renal sympathetic nerves without renal artery damage. Compared to previous models, the modified RDN facilitates the study of the pathobiology and pathophysiology of hypertension.

Introduction

Hypertension is a major chronic cardiovascular disease around the world. Uncontrolled hypertension could damage target organs and contribute to heart failure, stroke, and chronic kidney diseases^1,2,3. The prevalence of hypertension has increased from 20% to 31% between 1991 and 2007 in China. The number of adults with hypertension in China could double following a recent revision of the diagnostic criteria for hypertension (130/80 mmHg)⁴. Hypertension can be controlled by medicine, however, approximately 20% of patients are unable to control their hype....

Protocol

All animal experimental procedures complied with the relevant ethical Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (NIH Publication no. 85-23, revised 2011) and were approved by the committees on animal research of Huadong Hospital affiliated to Fudan University. Fourteen-week-old male C57BL/6 mice (28-30g) were randomly divided into four groups: Sham group, Sham+Ang II group, RDN group, RDN+Ang II group, n = 6 in each group. All animals were maintained under specific closed pathogen-free conditions in a temperature-.......

Discussion

Whether RDN could lower blood pressure has become controversial since the publication of the negative result of the symplicity HTN-3 trial^7,25. However, the several clinical trials and animal experiments have demonstrated positive and effective results of RDN on hypertensive humans and animals^{9,10,11,12,13}

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Angiotensin II	Sangon Biotech	CAS:4474-91-3	To make a hypertensive animol model
Anti-Tyrosine Hydroxylase antibody	Abcam	ab137869	To evaluate the expression of TH of renal nerves
Blood Pressure Analysis	Visitech Systems	BP-2000	Measure the blood pressure of mice
Mini-osmotic pump	DURECT Corporation	CA 95014	To fill with Angiotensin II
Norepinephrine ELISA Kit	Abcam	ab287789	to measure renal norepinephrine levels
Phenol	Sangon Biotech	CAS:108-95-2	Damage the renal sympathetic nerve
Weighing paper	Sangon Biotech	F512112	To destroy renal nerve with weighing paper immersed with phenol; https://www.sangon.com/productDetail?productInfo.code=F512112.