HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 93/5/589    most recent expphysiol.2007.041293v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by Filho, A. G. Articles by Santos, R. A. S. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Filho, A. G. Articles by Santos, R. A. S. Related Collections Themed Issue papers Genomic Physiology

Departments of ¹ Physiology and Biophysics² Morphology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil

In the present study we investigated the effects of physical training on plasma and cardiac angiotensin(1–7) [Ang(1–7)] levels. In addition, possible changes in expression of the Ang(1–7) Mas receptor in the heart were also evaluated. Normotensive Wistar rats and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were subjected to an 8 week period of 5% overload swimming training. Blood pressure was determined by a tail-cuff system. Heart and left ventricle weights and cardiomyocyte diameter were analysed to evaluate cardiac hypertrophy. Radioimmunoassay was used to measure angiotensin levels. Expression of Mas was determined by semi-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, immunofluorescence and Western blotting. Physical training induced cardiac hypertrophy in Wistar rats and SHR. A significant decrease of plasma angiotensin II (Ang II) levels in both strains was also observed. Strikingly, trained SHR, but not trained Wistar rats, showed a twofold increase in left ventricular Ang(1–7) levels. No significant changes were observed in plasma Ang(1–7) and left ventricular Ang II concentrations in either strain. Furthermore, Mas mRNA and protein expression in left ventricle were substantially increased in trained SHR. The physical training protocol used did not change blood pressure in either strain. These results suggest that the beneficial effects induced by swimming training in hypertensive rats might include an augmentation of Ang(1–7) and its receptor in the heart.

(Received 6 November 2007; accepted after revision 7 February 2008; first published online 15 February 2008)
Corresponding author: R. A. S. Santos: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Avenida Antônio Carlos, 6627-ICB-UFMG, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. Email: marrob{at}ciclope.Lcc.ufmg.br