ANG-(1–7) DEFICIENCY AND BAROREFLEX IMPAIRMENT PRECEDE THE ANTENATAL BETAMETHASONE EXPOSURE-INDUCED ELEVATION IN BLOOD PRESSURE

摘要

Betamethasone is administered to accelerate lung development and improve survival of premature infants, but may be associated with hypertension later in life. In a sheep model of fetal programming resulting from exposure at 80^th day of gestation to Betamethasone (Betaexposed), adult sheep at 6–9 months or 1.8 yrs of age have elevated mean arterial pressure (MAP), and attenuated spontaneous baroreflex sensitivity (sBRS) for control of heart rate compared to age-matched controls, associated with imbalances in angiotensin (Ang) II versus Ang-(1–7) tone. At 6 weeks of age, evoked BRS is already low in the Beta-exposed animals. In this study we assessed the potential contribution of the renin-angiotensin system to the impaired sBRS. Female lambs (6 weeks old) with Beta-exposure in utero had similar MAP to control lambs (78±2 vs 77±2 mm Hg, n = 4–5 per group), but lower sBRS (8±1 vs 16±3 ms/mm Hg; p < 0.05) and impaired heart rate variability (HRV). Peripheral AT1 receptor blockade using candesartan lowered MAP in both groups (~10 mm Hg) and improved sBRS and HRV in Beta-exposed lambs to a level similar to control. AT7 receptor blockade by infusion of D-ala Ang-(1–7) (700 ng/kg/min for 45 min) reduced sBRS 46±10 % in Beta-exposed vs in control lambs (p<0.15) and increased MAP in both groups (~6±2 mm Hg). Our data reveal that Beta-exposure impairs sBRS and HRV at a time point preceding the elevation in MAP via mechanisms involving an imbalance in the Ang II/Ang-(1–7) ratio consistent with a progressive loss in Ang-(1–7) function.