Adiposity and Endothelin Receptor Function

Elevated levels of ET-1 have been implicated in cardiovascular disease and some forms of hypertension. Due to the strong, positive correlation between obesity and hypertension, the present study will explore the contribution of adiposity in ETB receptor function and aim to elucidate if ETB receptor dysfunction is a major contributor to hypertension in obesity.

The proposed study is designed to investigate the influence of adiposity on ETB receptor function and subsequent vascular responses. The combination of ET-1, ET-3, and the respective ETA and ETB receptor antagonists will be used to provide insight into the mechanisms of ETB receptor dysfunction in the presence of adiposity. Previous studies have revealed elevations in circulating ET-1 in obese individuals; therefore, we predict that obese subjects will exhibit 1) ETB receptor dysfuncton compared to lean subjects and 2) an improvement in ETB receptor dysfunction following treatment with Candesartan.