Elevated expression of the Ephx2 mRNA in the kidney of hypertensive ISIAH rats

Epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) have antihypertensive properties and play a role in maintaining the renal microvascular function. EETs mediate vasodilation of rat preglomerular microvessels and activate ion channels. Ephx2 codes for a soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH), which catalyzes EET degradation. The renal cortex and medulla were tested for Ephx2 mRNA level in ISIAH rats with hereditary stress-sensitive hypertension and in normotensive WAG rats at rest and in emotional stress. Ephx2 transcriptional activity in ISIAH rats was significantly higher than in WAG rats at rest and in stress by both microarray analysis and realtime PCR. The results implicated Ephx2 in controlling and modulating the vascular tone in the kidney in both hypertensive ISIAH and normotensive WAG rats.