Parameters of Lymphocyte Na+-Ca2+Regulation and Blood Pressure

Abstract

Abstract—Alterations in cellular Ca2+and Na+regulation play a role in the pathogenesis of essential hypertension. Using peripheral lymphocytes from 68 normal persons, we observed the following relationships for major cellular Ca2+regulatory parameters. Among men and women, Na+-Ca2+exchanger activity was positively correlated with the resting cytosolic free Ca2+([Ca2+]c) (r=0.43,P=0.0003), and the resting [Ca2+]cwas positively correlated with cytosolic Na+([Na+]c) (r=0.50,P=0.0001). For men only, store-operated Ca2+entry was positively correlated with Na+-Ca2+exchanger activity (r=0.63,P=0.0001). In addition, systolic and diastolic blood pressures were positively correlated with [Na+]cin men (r=0.53,P=0.001, andr=0.41,P=0.017, respectively) but not in women (r=0.30,P=0.088, andr=0.24,P=0.17, respectively). Some of the relationships between cellular and blood pressure parameters were confounded by serum triglycerides. These observations indicate a gender effect on cellular Ca2+-Na+regulation and its relationship with blood pressure.