Endothelium-Specific Deficiency of Polycystin-1 Promotes Hypertension and Cardiovascular Disorders

• Published in: Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. 1979) Vol. 79; no. 11; pp. 2542 - 2551
• Main Authors: Hamzaoui, Mouad, Groussard, Deborah, Nezam, Dorian, Djerada, Zoubir, Lamy, Gaspard, Tardif, Virginie, Dumesnil, Anais, Renet, Sylvanie, Brunel, Valery, Peters, Dorien J.M., Chevalier, Laurence, Hanoy, Mélanie, Mulder, Paul, Richard, Vincent, Bellien, Jeremy, Guerrot, Dominique
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 01-11-2022; American Heart Association
• Subjects: Condensed Matter; Materials Science; Physics
• ISSN: 0194-911X; 1524-4563
• DOI: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.122.19057

Background:
Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease is the most frequent hereditary kidney disease and is generally due to mutations in
PKD1
and
PKD2
, encoding polycystins 1 and 2. In autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, hypertension and cardiovascular disorders are highly prevalent, but their mechanisms are partially understood.
Methods:
Since endothelial cells express the polycystin complex, where it plays a central role in the mechanotransduction of blood flow, we generated a murine model with inducible deletion of
Pkd1
in endothelial cells (
Cdh5-Cre
ERT2
;
Pkd1
fl/fl
) to specifically determine the role of endothelial polycystin-1 in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.
Results:
Endothelial deletion of
Pkd1
induced endothelial dysfunction, as demonstrated by impaired flow-mediated dilatation of resistance arteries and impaired relaxation to acetylcholine, increased blood pressure and prevented the normal development of arteriovenous fistula. In experimental chronic kidney disease induced by subtotal nephrectomy, endothelial deletion of
Pkd1
further aggravated endothelial dysfunction, vascular remodeling, and heart hypertrophy.
Conclusions:
Altogether, this study provides the first in vivo demonstration that specific deletion of
Pkd1
in endothelial cells promotes endothelial dysfunction and hypertension, impairs arteriovenous fistula development, and potentiates the cardiovascular alterations associated with chronic kidney disease.