Serotonin is involved in the pathogenesis of hypertension developing during erythropoietin treatment in uremic rats

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism of erythropoietin-induced hypertension in respect to its action on blood serotonergic system. The experiment was carried out on healthy rats and animals with experimental chronic renal failure. Erythropoietin (rHuEPO) injected into the healthy and uremic rats caused an increase in systolic blood pressure. This effect was completely abolished by ketanserin, an antagonist of 5-HT2 receptors. Concomitantly a rise in blood and platelet serotonin concentration was observed. It is concluded that serotonin may play a role in the development of hypertension caused by rHuEPO. Moreover, ketanserin may serve as a drug for pharmacological protection of rHuEPO-induced rise of blood pressure in uremia.