Antioxidant status in the liver of hypertensive and metallothionein-deficient mice

Because oxidative stress is involved in arterial hypertension, impairment of hepatic antioxidant defences could develop in the course of this disease. Metallothionein (MT), an antioxidant protein, is present in high rates in the liver. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a mineralocorticoid-salt treatment on blood pressure, hepatic antioxidant enzyme activities, and cardiac MT levels in transgenic MT null mice compared with control mice to further clarify the role of MT during the experimental development of arterial hypertension. Control and transgenic MT -/- mice were submitted to an 8-week mineralocorticoid-salt treatment. Hepatic glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase activities and cardiac MT and mineral levels were measured. Mineralocorticoid-salt treatment induced an increase in blood pressure in both transgenic MT -/- and control mice that was associated with an impairment of liver antioxidant status. MT deficiency was associated with modifications of hepatic antioxidant enzyme activities and with a decrease in cardiac iron levels. Adaptive processes of antioxidant systems may explain the absence of an effect of metallothionein deficiency on the development of mineralocorticoid-salt hypertension. The interactions that occur between the in vivo antioxidant systems probably produce a complex regulation of the oxidative balance and consequently prevent antioxidant deficiency.