Gamma-aminobutyric acid-salt attenuated high cholesterol/high salt diet induced hypertension in mice

• Published in: The Korean journal of physiology & pharmacology Vol. 25; no. 1; pp. 27 - 38
• Main Authors: Son, Myeongjoo, Oh, Seyeon, Lee, Hye Sun, Choi, Junwon, Lee, Bae-Jin, Park, Joung-Hyun, Park, Chul Hyun, Son, Kuk Hui, Byun, Kyunghee
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) The Korean Physiological Society and The Korean Society of Pharmacology 01.01.2021; 대한약리학회
• Subjects: Original; 약리학; Blood pressure; Macrophage polarization; Smooth muscle cells; Endothelial cells; Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-salt
• ISSN: 1226-4512; 2093-3827
• DOI: 10.4196/kjpp.2021.25.1.27

Excessive salt intake induces hypertension, but several gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) supplements have been shown to reduce blood pressure. GABAsalt, a fermented salt by BJ20 containing GABA was prepared through the post-fermentation with refined salt and the fermented GABA extract. We evaluated the effect of GABA-salt on hypertension in a high salt, high cholesterol diet induced mouse model. We analyzed type 1 macrophage (M1) polarization, the expression of M1 related cytokines, GABA receptor expression, endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction, vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation, and medial thicknesses in mice model. GABA-salt attenuated diet-induced blood pressure increases, M1 polarization, and TNF-α and inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS) levels in mouse aortas, and in salt treated macrophages . Furthermore, GABA-salt induced higher GABAB receptor and endothelial NOS (eNOS) and eNOS phosphorylation levels than those observed in salt treated ECs. In addition, GABA-salt attenuated EC dysfunction by decreasing the levels of adhesion molecules (E-selectin, Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 [ICAM-1], vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 [VCAM-1]) and of von Willebrand Factor and reduced EC death. GABA-salt also reduced diet-induced reductions in the levels of eNOS, phosphorylated eNOS, VSMC proliferation and medial thickening in mouse aortic tissues, and attenuated Endothelin-1 levels in salt treated VSMCs. In summary, GABA-salt reduced high salt, high cholesterol diet induced hypertension in our mouse model by reducing M1 polarization, EC dysfunction, and VSMC proliferation.