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(Circulation. 2005;112:1145-1153.)
© 2005 American Heart Association, Inc.

Hypertension

Vascular Smooth Muscle Overexpression of G Protein–Coupled Receptor Kinase 5 Elevates Blood Pressure, Which Segregates With Sex and Is Dependent on G_i-Mediated Signaling

Janelle R. Keys, PhD^*; Rui-Hai Zhou, MD^*; David M. Harris, PhD; Charles A. Druckman, BS; Andrea D. Eckhart, PhD

From the Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC (J.R.K.), and the Eugene Feiner Laboratory for Vascular Biology and Thrombosis, Center for Translational Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pa (R.-H.Z., D.M.H., C.A.D., A.D.E.). Dr Keys is now at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia.

Correspondence to Andrea D. Eckhart, Room 309 College, 1025 Walnut St, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107. E-mail andrea.eckhart{at}jefferson.edu

Received December 22, 2004; revision received April 6, 2005; accepted May 10, 2005.

Background— Essential hypertension involves an increase in sympathetic nervous system activity and an associated decrease in β-adrenergic receptor (AR)–mediated dilation. In addition, increased levels of G protein–coupled receptor (GPCR) kinases (GRKs), which regulate GPCR signaling, are associated with increased blood pressure (BP).

Methods and Results— We generated transgenic mice with 2-fold vascular smooth muscle (VSM)–specific overexpression of GRK5 to recapitulate a selective aspect of hypertension and understand the impact on GPCR regulation of BP. VSM-GRK5 mice were hypertensive, with a 25% to 35% increase in BP, whereas there was no concomitant cardiac or VSM hypertrophy. BP elevations were segregated with sex, with male mice having higher levels than female mice, and ovariectomy did not alter this phenotype. BP was restored to control values with pertussis toxin G_i-signaling inhibition or chronic β₁AR inhibition after 7 days of CGP20712A, whereas the β₂AR antagonist ICI 118,551 was ineffective. ₁AR response was not altered, nor was βAR-mediated dilation in male blood vessels, whereas norepinephrine sensitivity was increased. In contrast, female VSM-GRK5 blood vessels have diminished βAR-mediated dilation and enhanced sensitivity to angiotensin II (Ang II).

Conclusions— Our data suggest that in both male and female mice, VSM-specific overexpression of GRK5 elevates BP mediated by G_i and, at least in part, by β₁AR in males and Ang II receptors in females. Understanding mechanisms underlying an increase in VSM-GRK5 may have a profound influence on the use and development of antihypertensive therapeutics.

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