Flavonoid-induced reduction of ENaC expression in the kidney of Dahl salt-sensitive hypertensive rat

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2004 Mar 19;315(4):892-6. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2004.01.150.

Abstract

Flavonoid, a plant extract, exhibits various biological actions. Dietary flavonoid intake is reported to reduce an elevated blood pressure, however the mechanism is unknown. The epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC) in the kidney plays a key role in the regulation of blood pressure by contributing to the Na+ reabsorption in renal tubules. Thus, we investigated the effect of quercetin, a flavonoid, on ENaC mRNA expression in the kidney of hypertensive Dahl salt-sensitive rats. Dahl salt-sensitive rats of 8 weeks were acclimated for 1 week in a metabolic cage and were subsequently kept for 4 weeks under four different conditions: (1) normal salt diet (0.3% NaCl), (2) normal salt diet with quercetin (10 mg/kg/day), (3) high-salt diet (8% NaCl), and (4) high-salt diet with quercetin. Quercetin diminished the alphaENaC mRNA expression in the kidney associated with reduction of the systolic blood pressure elevated by high-salt diet, suggesting that one of the mechanisms of the flavonoid's antihypertensive effect on salt-sensitive hypertension would be mediated through downregulation of ENaC expression in the kidney.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antihypertensive Agents / pharmacology
  • Blood Pressure / drug effects
  • Blood Pressure / physiology
  • Body Weight
  • Chlorides / urine
  • Colon / anatomy & histology
  • Colon / metabolism
  • Hematocrit
  • Hypertension / chemically induced
  • Hypertension / drug therapy
  • Hypertension / metabolism*
  • Kidney / drug effects
  • Kidney / metabolism*
  • Osmolar Concentration
  • Potassium / urine
  • Quercetin / pharmacology*
  • RNA, Messenger / biosynthesis
  • Rats
  • Rats, Inbred Dahl
  • Sodium / urine
  • Sodium Channels / biosynthesis*
  • Sodium Channels / drug effects
  • Sodium Chloride, Dietary / administration & dosage
  • Water-Electrolyte Balance / physiology

Substances

  • Antihypertensive Agents
  • Chlorides
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Sodium Channels
  • Sodium Chloride, Dietary
  • Quercetin
  • Sodium
  • Potassium