Effects of AT1 receptor antagonist losartan on sICAM-1 and TNF-alpha levels in uncomplicated hypertensive patients.

Article Details

Citation

Sardo MA, Castaldo M, Cinquegrani M, Bonaiuto M, Fontana L, Campo S, Campo GM, Altavilla D, Saitta A

Effects of AT1 receptor antagonist losartan on sICAM-1 and TNF-alpha levels in uncomplicated hypertensive patients.

Angiology. 2004 Mar-Apr;55(2):195-203.

PubMed ID
15026875 [ View in PubMed
]
Abstract

This study was designed to determine whether the levels of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were elevated in subjects with uncomplicated hypertension who presented with no other risk factors or evidence of athero-sclerosis. The effects of administration of an angiotensin type-1 antagonist (losartan) on the serum concentrations of these molecules were also examined. Twenty hypertensive (HT) subjects (12 men and 8 women, mean age 49.1 +/-7.2 years) without other risk factors or cardiovascular disease received placebo for 4 weeks. The patients were then treated with losartan (50 mg/day) for 24 weeks. After 4, 12, and 24 weeks of losartan treatment, sICAM-1 and TNF-alpha levels were measured. The same parameters were measured in 20 normotensive control subjects (C), matched for sex and age. HT had sICAM-1 and TNF-alpha basal values higher than C (respectively 351.7 +/-97.4 vs 201.6 +/-32.3 ng/mL, p<0.001 and 31.8 +/-2.4 vs 15.3 +/-2.2 pg/mL, p<0.001). There was a positive correlation between sICAM-1 and TNF-alpha levels, but no correlation in HT between the average diastolic and systolic blood pressure (clinic and ambulatory monitoring) and the sICAM-1 or TNF-alpha levels was observed. Losartan treatment caused a significant decrease of sICAM-1 levels at the end of the first month of treatment (300.2 +/-64.4 ng/mL, p<0.05), but the values reverted to the basal levels at the following time points. No variation of TNF-alpha levels during losartan treatment was observed. These results show that patients with uncomplicated mild essential hypertension presented with high plasma ICAM-1 and TNF-alpha concentrations. Although all the patients were responsive to the antihypertensive treatment with losartan, their plasma concentrations of TNF-alpha were not modified, and sICAM-1 concentrations decreased only for a short period of time. This suggests that in uncomplicated hypertension other factors besides the blood pressure modulate the endothelial inflammation.

DrugBank Data that Cites this Article

Drug Targets
DrugTargetKindOrganismPharmacological ActionActions
LosartanType-1 angiotensin II receptorProteinHumans
Yes
Antagonist
Details