Epigenetic mechanisms underlying renal derangement in hypertension and diabetes

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Diabetes is often complicated with hypertension, but the underlying mechanisms have not been clarified. We investigated whether epigenetic derangement in the kidney underlies hypertension in diabetic model animals.Because kidney is composed with multiple cell types, we sorted proximal tubule cells and investigated the differential DNA methylation status. In normal mice, DNA methylation of multiple genes including those involved in blood pressure regulation was selectively demethylated in proximal tubules. In db/db mice, diabetic mice with salt sensitive hypertension, aberrant DNA methylation and mRNA changes were detected in some of the genes related to blood pressure regulation. These results suggest that epigenetic abnormalities may underlie hypertension in diabetes.