유전적 고혈압 발병에 대한 Calcineurin 및 PKB/Akt의 연관성

Involvement of calcineurin and PKB/Akt in development of hereditary hypertension

Severe hypertension (>180 mmHg) develops in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) after 12 wk-old; however, it is not clear whether what kinds of molecular mechanism leads to altered cardiac performance following developmental stages in SHR. Also, although the effect of calcineurin (Cn) to promote cardiomyocyte hypertrophy in vivo and in vitro is established, its overall necessity as a hypertrophic mediator is currently an area of ongoing debate. Thus, we have examined i) body weight and blood pressure, ii) differences of expression and distribution of signaling molecules such as Cn, protein kinase B/Akt (PKB/Akt), and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) between SHR and their age-matched control Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats following developmental stages. In 16 wk-old SHR compared with WKY, 2-dimentional echocardiography showed cardiac enlargement and hypertrophy of left ventricle, significantly. Taken together, we suggest that Cn is associated with hereditary cardiac hypertrophy, the process being related to the molecular signaling mechanisms involving PKB/Akt and ERK.