Gaining new insight to managing sodium balance and blood pressure, investigators at
the University of Houston (UH) College of Pharmacy believe their work may identify
future therapeutic targets to control hypertension.
Mohammad Asghar, assistant professor of pharmacology, is exploring the mechanisms
by which oxidative and inflammatory stressors – considered hallmarks of the aging
process – alter the function of two critical receptor systems in the kidneys that
are involved in sodium metabolism and blood pressure. While there are different hormonal
systems in the body that aid in sodium balance, at the center of Asghar’s research
are the dopamine and angiotensin II receptor systems that play pivotal roles in fine-tuning
sodium stability and maintaining normal blood pressure. 
In research conducted up to this point, supported by funding from the National Institutes
of Health (NIH), Asghar and his collaborators have identified two likely factors –
inflammation and oxidative stress – that have adverse effects on kidney functions.
His results showed that exercise training builds up strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant
environments, thereby improving kidney functions during aging.
“We now are attempting to determine the mechanisms by which oxidative stress and inflammatory
stress exert their actions upon these receptors and contribute to increased blood
pressure,” Asghar said. “We are currently investigating if exercise training has beneficial
effects in improving dopamine and angiotensin II receptor functions, sodium balance
and control of blood pressure during aging.”
With this next phase of research funded by a five-year, $1.5 million grant from the
NIH’s National Institute on Aging, Asghar has set out to specifically examine resistant
hypertension, which is a particular type of high blood pressure that does not respond
to treatment.
“Resistant hypertension, which is typical of the aging phenomenon, requires a combination
of drugs for blood pressure control,” he said. “Currently available medications are
not effective to treat resistant hypertensive patients. While my research is focused
on aging, the outcomes may very well benefit both adult and older populations who
suffer from hypertension.”
Citing studies that have linked both a low-sodium diet and exercise to reducing oxidative
and inflammatory stress, Asghar is a proponent of moderate, regular exercise and better
dietary habits. In addition to further investigating the relationship between high
salt and hypertension through his analyses of receptor systems in the kidneys, he
also is looking at how exercise and antioxidant or anti-inflammatory therapeutic agents
may restore the function of those two key receptors to reduce hypertension. He believes
this exercise research could yield potential therapeutic targets that mimic exercise,
which may prove beneficial for those individuals who are unable to exercise due to
physical or other disabilities.
Asghar and his team’s ongoing work could lead to new treatments for millions of hypertensive
individuals at risk for stroke, heart failure and a range of other cardiovascular
diseases due to high blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for these ailments.
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About the University of Houston
The University of Houston is a Carnegie-designated Tier One public research university
recognized by The Princeton Review as one of the nation’s best colleges for undergraduate
education. UH serves the globally competitive Houston and Gulf Coast Region by providing
world-class faculty, experiential learning and strategic industry partnerships. Located
in the nation’s fourth-largest city, UH serves more than 39,500 students in the most
ethnically and culturally diverse region in the country. For more information about
UH, visit the university's newsroom.
About the UH College of Pharmacy
For more than 60 years, the University of Houston College of Pharmacy has shaped aspiring
pharmacists, scientists and researchers. The college offers graduate degrees in pharmacy
administration, pharmacology and pharmaceutics, a professional pharmacy degree and
combined professional/graduate degrees. With facilities on the UH campus and in the
Texas Medical Center, the UH College of Pharmacy is accredited by the Accreditation
Council for Pharmacy Education.
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