Effect of renal denervation on cardiac remodelling and function in rats with chronic intermittent hypoxia

Abstract Chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) mimicking obstructive sleep apnea elicits divergent outcomes in the cardiovascular systems. The effect of renal denervation (RDN) on the heart during CIH remains unclear. We aimed to explore the effect of RDN on cardiac remodelling in rats exposed to CIH and to discuss the underlying mechanisms. Adult Sprague Dawley rats were divided into four groups: control, control+RDN, CIH (CIH exposure for 6 weeks, nadir of 5%–7% to peak of 21% O2, 20 cycles/h, 8 h/day) and CIH+ RDN group. Echocardiography, cardiac fibrosis, left ventricle (LV) expressions of nuclear factor‐E2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase‐1 (HO‐1) pathway and inflammatory factors were tested at the end of the study. Cardiac structural remodelling and dysfunction were induced by CIH and attenuated by RDN. Myocardial fibrosis was more severe in the CIH group than in the control group and improved in the CIH + RDN group. Sympathetic activity reflected by tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression and noradrenaline were significantly elevated after CIH but blunted by RDN. CIH downregulated LV protein expressions of Nrf2 and HO‐1, which was activated by RDN. The downstream of Nrf2/HO‐1, such as NQO1 and SOD expression, elevated following RDN. RDN also decreased the mRNA expression of IL‐1β and IL‐6. Notably, control+RDN did not affect cardiac remodelling and Nrf2/HO‐1 compared with the control. Taken together, we found that RDN exerted cardio‐protective effects in a rat model of CIH involving Nrf2/HO‐1 pathway and inflammation.