Downregulating the P2X3 receptor in the carotid body to reduce blood pressure via acoustic gene delivery in canines

The purinergic P2X3 receptor in the carotid body (CB) is considered a new target for treating hypertension, although approaches for targeted regulating P2X3 receptor expression are lacking. Here, we explored the feasibility of targeted P2X3 receptor down-regulation in CBs by localized low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU)-mediated gene delivery to reduce the blood pressure. Thirty-two Kunming canines were randomly assigned to the treatment group (n  = 14), negative control group (n = 10), LIFU + cationic microbubbles group (n = 4), and LIFU-only group (n = 4).
Source: Translational Research - Category: Research Authors: Source Type: research