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(Hypertension. 2005;45:233.)
© 2005 American Heart Association, Inc.

Scientific Contributions

Thiazide-Like Diuretics Attenuate Agonist-Induced Vasoconstriction by Calcium Desensitization Linked to Rho Kinase

Zhiming Zhu; Shanjun Zhu; Daoyan Liu; Tingbing Cao; Lijuan Wang; Martin Tepel

From the Department of Hypertension and Endocrinology (Z.Z., S.Z., T.C., D.L., L.W.), Daping Hospital, Center for Hypertension and Metabolic Disease, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing Hypertension Institute, Chongqing, China; and Charite Campus Benjamin Franklin (M.T.), Berlin, Germany.

Correspondence to Dr Zhiming Zhu, Department of Hypertension and Endocrinology, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, PR China. E-mail zhuzm{at}yahoo.com

Lowering blood pressure using thiazide-like diuretics, including chlorthalidone and hydrochlorothiazide, has been proven to be effective in clinical studies. However, the mechanisms by which thiazide-like diuretics lower blood pressure are still poorly understood. To evaluate whether thiazide-like diuretics cause calcium desensitization in smooth muscle cells, we measured their effects on agonist-induced increase of blood pressure in Wistar rats in vivo and on agonist-induced vasoconstriction of aortic rings, DNA synthesis, and protein synthesis, RhoA, Rho kinase, and intracellular calcium in vascular smooth muscle cells in vitro. Thiazide-like diuretics significantly attenuated angiotensin II–induced or norepinephrine-induced increase of systolic blood pressure in rats. Thiazide-like diuretics inhibited agonist-induced vasoconstriction of aortic rings in a concentration-dependent manner in the presence and absence of endothelium. The inhibitory effects of thiazide-like diuretics were similar to that of the specific Rho kinase inhibitor Y27632. RT-PCR and immunoblotting showed that RhoA and Rho kinase were significantly reduced in vascular smooth muscle cells after administration of thiazide-like diuretics. In contrast, thiazide-like diuretics did not affect protein tyrosine phosphatase-2 (SHP-2) expression. Agonist-induced changes of intracellular calcium were not affected by thiazide-like diuretics. The study indicates that thiazide-like diuretics inhibit agonist-induced vasoconstriction by calcium desensitization in smooth muscle cells linked to the Rho–Rho kinase pathway.

Key Words: diuretics • kinase • vasoconstriction

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