Neuropilin‐1 maintains dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase 1 expression in endothelial cells, and contributes to protection from angiotensin II–induced hypertension

What is it about?

This study identified neuropilin-1 (NRP1), which is a cell membrane protein, is essential to control the levels of dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolases (DDAHs) in vascular endothelial cells. DDAHs are a family of enzymes consisting of two isoforms DDAH1 and DDAH2, which are responsible for the clearance of asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), a harmful metabolic waste produced in the cells. This study showed that human and mouse endothelial cells deficient of NRP1 displayed decreased stability of DDAH1 mRNA, whereas human endothelial cells with NRP1 overexpressed had increased DDAH1 mRNA stability. A microRNA miR-219-5p was shown to contribute to the regulation of DDAH1 mRNA stability in endothelial cells. Because of the well-known roles of DDAHs in controlling endothelial cell function in hypertension, the researchers further examined the blood pressure levels in mice lacking NRP1 in vascular endothelial cells and found that these mice had normal blood pressure levels but are prone to have more server hypertension when exposed to stresses.

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