Abstract
Angiotensin-(1-7) [ANG-(1-7)] acts at Mas receptors (MasR) to oppose effects of angiotensin II (ANG II). Previous studies demonstrated that protection of female mice from obesity-induced hypertension was associated with increased systemic ANG-(1-7), whereas male obese hypertensive mice exhibited increased systemic ANG II. We hypothesized that MasR deficiency (MasR(-/-) ) augments obesity-induced hypertension in males and abolishes protection of females. Male and female wild-type (MasR(+/+) ) and MasR(-/-) mice were fed a low-fat (LF) or high-fat (HF) diet for 16 wk. MasR deficiency had no effect on obesity. At baseline, male and female MasR(-/-) mice had reduced ejection fraction (EF) and fractional shortening than MasR(+/+) mice. Male, but not female, HF-fed MasR(+/+) mice had increased systolic and diastolic (DBP) blood pressures compared with LF-fed controls. In HF-fed females, MasR deficiency increased DBP compared with LF-fed controls. In contrast, male HF-fed MasR(-/-) mice had lower DBP than MasR(+/+) mice. We quantified cardiac function after 1 mo of HF feeding in males of each genotype. HF-fed MasR(-/-) mice had higher left ventricular (LV) wall thickness than MasR(+/+) mice. Moreover, MasR(+/+) , but not MasR(-/-) , mice displayed reductions in EF from HF feeding that were reversed by ANG-(1-7) infusion. LV fibrosis was reduced in HF-fed MasR(+/+) but not MasR(-/-) ANG-(1-7)-infused mice. These results demonstrate that MasR deficiency promotes obesity-induced hypertension in females. In males, HF feeding reduced cardiac function, which was restored by ANG-(1-7) in MasR(+/+) but not MasR(-/-) mice. MasR agonists may be effective therapies for obesity-associated cardiovascular conditions.NEW & NOTEWORTHY MasR deficiency abolishes protection of female mice from obesity-induced hypertension. Male MasR-deficient obese mice have reduced blood pressure and declines in cardiac function. ANG-(1-7) infusion restores obesity-induced cardiac dysfunction of wild-type, but not MasR-deficient, male mice. MasR agonists may be cardioprotective in obese males and females.