Skip to main content
Log in

A circulating inhibitor of (Na+ + K+) ATPase associated with essential hypertension

  • Letter
  • Published:

From Nature

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Abstract

The aetiology of essential hypertension, a disease prevalent in cultured societies, is unknown. However, much evidence suggests that abnormal sodium metabolism has a critical role—this has led to the hypothesis that an increase in the circulating concentration of an inhibitor of (Na+ + K+) ATPase is responsible for the increased peripheral vascular resistance in essential hypertension1. Evidence for relatively high levels of a Na+ pump inhibitor in essential hypertension has come from bioassay and cytochemical assays of plasma and urine from normotensive and hypertensive individuals2,3. There is also evidence for increased plasma levels of a Na+ pump inhibitor in some animal models (for example, renal and deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) models) of hypertension4. Nevertheless, direct biochemical determination of (Na+ + K+) ATPase inhibition by this substance has not yet been reported. We demonstrate here, with a kinetic (Na+ + K+) ATPase assay, a highly significant correlation between levels of a plasma inhibitor of (Na+ + K+)ATPase activity and mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) in normotensive and hypertensive individuals. These data provide evidence for the involvement of a circulating Na+ pump inhibitor in the genesis of essential hypertension. Moreover, our assay methods may be useful for the isolation and characterization of this inhibitor.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

We’re sorry, something doesn't seem to be working properly.

Please try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, please contact support so we can address the problem.

References

  1. Blaustein, M. P. Am. J. Physiol. 232, C165–C173 (1977).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. MacGregor, G. A. et al. Br. med. J. 283, 1335–1357 (1981).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Poston, L. et al. Br. med. J. 282, 847–849 (1981).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Pamnani, M. B., Huot, S., Buggy, J., Clough, D. & Haddy, F. Hypertension 3, Suppl. Ii, II-96–Ii-101 (1981).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Akera, T., Choi, Y. R. & Yamamoto, S. in Na, K-ATPase, Structure and Kinetics (eds Skou, J. C. & Norby, J. G.) 405–420 (Academic, New York, 1979).

    Google Scholar 

  6. Fagan, J. B. & Racker, E. Biochemistry 16, 152–158 (1977).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Quist, E. E. & Hokin, L. E. Biochim. biophys. Acta 511, 202–212 (1978).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Cantley, L. C. et al. J. biol Chem. 252, 7421–7423 (1977).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Jorgensen, P. L. Biochim. biophys. Acta 356, 36–52 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Gruber, K. A., Whitaker, J. M. & Buckalew, V. M. Nature 287, 743–745 (1980).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Gruber, K. A., Rudel, L. L. & Bullock, B. C. Hypertension 4, 348–354 (1982).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Losse, H., Wehmeyer, H. & Wessels, F. Klin. Wschr. 38, 393–395 (1960).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Edmondson, R. P. S., Thomas, R. D., Hilton, P. J., Patrick, J. & Jones, N. F. Lancet i, 1003–1005 (1975).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Blaustein, M. P. Clin. exp. Hypertension 3, 173–178 (1981).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Blaustein, M. P. in Recent Advances in Hypertension Mechanisms (eds Villareal, H. & Sambhi, M.) (in the press).

  16. Lang, S. & Blaustein, M. P. Circulation Res. 46, 463–470 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Filo, R. S., Bohr, D. F. & Rüegg, J. C. Science 147, 1581–1583 (1972).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  18. Folkow, B. & Neil, E. Circulation, 560–583 (Oxford University Press, 1971).

    Google Scholar 

  19. Nakazato, Y., Ohga, A. & Onoda, Y. J. Physiol., Land. 278, 45–54 (1978).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Leitz, F. H. & Stefano, F. J. E. Eur. J. Pharmac. 11, 278–285 (1970).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. de Wardener, H. E. & MacGregor, G. A. Kidney Int. 18, 1–9 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. de Wardener, H. E. Am. J. Physiol. 235, F163–F173 (1978).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Zadik, Z., Hamilton, B. P. & Kowarski, A. A. J. clin Endocr. Metab. 50, 842–845 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Kowarski, A. A., Edwin, C. J., Akesode, A. P., Pitrowski, L. S. & Hamilton, B. P. Johns Hopkins med. J. 142, 35–38 (1978).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. King, E. J. Biochem. J. 26, 292–297 (1932).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Bradford, M. M. Analyt. Biochem. 72, 248–254 (1976).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hamlyn, J., Ringel, R., Schaeffer, J. et al. A circulating inhibitor of (Na+ + K+) ATPase associated with essential hypertension. Nature 300, 650–652 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1038/300650a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/300650a0

  • Springer Nature Limited

This article is cited by

Navigation