Changes in the expression of α1B-adrenoceptor in peripheral mononuclear cells correlates with blood pressure and plasmatic homocysteine

Abstract Human peripheral mononuclear cells (HPMC) have been suggested as a practical surrogate for myocardial or vascular cells. Present work analyses if changes in the expression of α 1 -adrenoceptors (ARs) in HPMC are related to the hypertensive state and its clinical consequences. Quantitative RT-PCR was employed to evaluate the mRNA levels of the three α 1 -ARs (α 1A , α 1B , α 1D ) in HPMC isolated from normotensive and hypertensive patients, and also in tissues from two animal models of hypertension: spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and hypertension induced by chronic treatment with L-NAME. In patients, 24-h ambulatory blood pressure and serum biochemical profile were also recorded. We found that α 1B -AR expression was higher in HPMC from hypertensive patients and correlated with blood pressure and plasmatic homocysteine. A rise in the α 1B -AR expression in kidneys, but not in heart from hypertensive animal models was also found. α 1D -AR did not change in HPMC, not in rat heart or kidney, but a significant correlation with plasmatic aldosterone was found. In conclusion, we have proved that α 1 -ARs mRNA expression in HPMC correlates with clinical variables and could be used as a potential biomarker in hypertensive patients.