TY - JOUR

T1 - Influence of connexin45 on renal autoregulation

AU - Møller, Sophie

AU - Jacobsen, Jens Christian Brings

AU - Braunstein, Thomas Hartig

AU - von Holstein-Rathlou, Niels-Henrik

AU - Sørensen, Charlotte Mehlin

N1 - (Ekstern)

PY - 2020

Y1 - 2020

N2 - Renal autoregulation is mediated by the myogenic response and tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF) working in concert to maintain renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate despite fluctuations in renal perfusion pressure. Intercellular communication through gap junctions may play a role in renal autoregulation. We examine if one of the building blocks in gap junctions, connexin45 (Cx45), which is expressed in vascular smooth muscle cells, has an influence on renal autoregulatory efficiency. The isolated perfused juxtamedullary nephron preparation was used to measure afferent arteriolar diameter changes in response to acute changes in renal perfusion pressure. In segmental arteries, pressure myography was used to study diameter changes in response to pressure changes. Wire myography was used to study vasoconstrictor and vasodilator responses. A mathematical model of the vascular wall was applied to interpret experimental data. We found a significant reduction in the afferent arteriolar constriction in response to acute pressure increases in Cx45 knockout (KO) mice compared with wild-type (WT) mice. Abolition of TGF caused a parallel upward shift in the autoregulation curve of WT animals but had no effect in KO animals, which is compatible with TGF providing a basal tonic contribution in afferent arterioles whereas Cx45 KO animals were functionally papillectomized. Analysis showed a shift toward lower stress sensitivity in afferent arterioles from Cx45 KO animals, indicating that the absence of Cx45 may also affect myogenic properties. Finally, loss of Cx45 in vascular smooth muscle cells appeared to associate with a change in both structure and passive properties of the vascular wall.

AB - Renal autoregulation is mediated by the myogenic response and tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF) working in concert to maintain renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate despite fluctuations in renal perfusion pressure. Intercellular communication through gap junctions may play a role in renal autoregulation. We examine if one of the building blocks in gap junctions, connexin45 (Cx45), which is expressed in vascular smooth muscle cells, has an influence on renal autoregulatory efficiency. The isolated perfused juxtamedullary nephron preparation was used to measure afferent arteriolar diameter changes in response to acute changes in renal perfusion pressure. In segmental arteries, pressure myography was used to study diameter changes in response to pressure changes. Wire myography was used to study vasoconstrictor and vasodilator responses. A mathematical model of the vascular wall was applied to interpret experimental data. We found a significant reduction in the afferent arteriolar constriction in response to acute pressure increases in Cx45 knockout (KO) mice compared with wild-type (WT) mice. Abolition of TGF caused a parallel upward shift in the autoregulation curve of WT animals but had no effect in KO animals, which is compatible with TGF providing a basal tonic contribution in afferent arterioles whereas Cx45 KO animals were functionally papillectomized. Analysis showed a shift toward lower stress sensitivity in afferent arterioles from Cx45 KO animals, indicating that the absence of Cx45 may also affect myogenic properties. Finally, loss of Cx45 in vascular smooth muscle cells appeared to associate with a change in both structure and passive properties of the vascular wall.

U2 - 10.1152/ajprenal.00185.2019

DO - 10.1152/ajprenal.00185.2019

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 31984796

VL - 318

SP - F732-F740

JO - American Journal of Physiology - Renal Fluid and Electrolyte Physiology

JF - American Journal of Physiology - Renal Fluid and Electrolyte Physiology

SN - 1931-857X

IS - 3

ER -