High blood pressure is the major cause of heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure. Researchers at the University of Florida have tested in rats a new technique in treating high blood pressure that could be a long term way of treating this disorder in humans.

Using a corrective gene, scientists were able to block a protein in the kidneys that triggers high blood pressure and kidney damage, said Dr. Zhongjie Sun, a UF assistant professor of medicine, physiology and functional genomics and the lead author of the study.

The protein, called a mineralocorticoid receptor, signals the body to absorb sodium and water into the bloodstream. This increases the amount of blood in the body, also increasing blood pressure. While some treatments already on the market block the MR protein, the medications don't target it specifically, interfering with other receptors and causing unwanted side effects, Sun said.

The new technique can specifically and efficiently inhibit the protein and prevent the progression of hypertension. These findings have been published online recently in the journal Gene Therapy.

Source: University of Florida News