Secretion of parathormone (PTH), the main parathyroid hormone, which is under the control of the calcium sensing receptor, might be inhibited by calcimimetics and stimulated by calcilytics. Parathyroid glands also secrete parathyroid hypertensive factor. Recently, it was shown that calcimimetic NPS R-568 induced decreased blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) in the presence of parathyroid glands. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine whether administration of the calcilytic NPS 2143 provoked an increase of mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) in normotensive rats. We used male Wistar rats anaesthetized with thiopental. Clearance experiments were performed and the effect of bolus, 1 mg/kg body weight i.v. of NPS 2143 on MAP in the presence and absence of thyroparathyroidectomy (TPTX) was monitored continuously. Calcilytic properties of NPS 2143 were confirmed directly by a significant (P < 0.05) increase of plasma PTH concentration, and indirectly by a rise of plasma Ca²⁺ concentration and urinary fractional phosphate excretion (FE Pi). NPS 2143 administration markedly (P < 0.05) increased MAP, calculated as the difference ( Δ ) in MAP between sequential measurements and the time of bolus injection of calcilytic. The observed increase of blood pressure in the NPS 2143 group was also significant (P < 0.05) compared with the control group. Performance of TPTX prevented the hypertensive effect of NPS 2143. We conclude that NPS 2143 is responsible for increased blood pressure in rats in the presence of parathyroid glands.

We report the identification of a hitherto unknown nucleotide that is present in micromolar concentrations in the erythrocytes of healthy subjects and accumulates at levels comparable with the ATP concentration in erythrocytes of patients with chronic renal failure. The unknown nucleotide was isolated and identified by liquid chromatography with UV and tandem mass detection, ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance and infrared spectroscopy as 4-pyridone-3-carboxamide-1-β-d-ribonucleoside triphosphate (4PYTP), a structure indicating association with metabolism of the oxidized nicotinamide compounds. Subsequently, we demonstrated formation of 4PYTP in intact human erythrocytes during incubation with the chemically synthesized nucleoside precursor 4-pyridone-3-carboxamide-1-β-d-ribonucleoside (4PYR). We noted preferential accumulation of monophosphate of 4PYR (4PYMP) over 4PYTP as well as a decrease in erythrocyte ATP concentration during incubation with 4PYR. Both the 4PYR phosphorylation and ATP depletion were blocked by an inhibitor of adenosine kinase. Plasma concentration of 4PYR was detectable but very low (0.013 ± 0.006 μm) in contrast with the high daily urine excretion of this compound (26.7 ± 18.2 μmol/24 h) in healthy subjects, indicating much greater renal clearance than other nicotinamide metabolites, nucleosides, or creatinine. We also noted a 40-fold increase in 4PYR plasma concentration in patients with chronic renal failure (0.563 ± 0.321 μm). We suggest that 4PYTP formation in the erythrocytes is a hitherto unknown process aimed at sequestering potentially toxic 4PYR in a form that could be safely transported and subsequently released and excreted during passage of erythrocytes through the kidney.

The discovery of calcium receptors and calcimimetics created the possibility of "pharmacologic parathyroidectomy" (phPTX), which decreased secretion of parathormone (PTH). Parathyroid glands of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and of patients with primary hyperparathyroidism and hypertension secrete parathyroid hypertensive factor (PHF). Parathyroidectomy decreases blood pressure in these rats and in patients. The present study determined whether phPTX induced by calcimimetics decreases mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) in hypertensive rats. Hypertensive SHR and normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were used. Clearance experiments were performed and the effect of 1 mg/kg body weight (given intravenously) synthesized NPS R-568 (NPS) on MAP in the presence or absence of thyroparathyroidectomy (TPTX) was monitored. The success phPTX and TPTX were proven by a significant decrease in plasma Ca(2+) concentration and a decrease in urinary fractional phosphate excretion (FE Pi). The administration of NPS significantly decreased blood pressure in SHR versus SHR/control: Delta(0-50 min of experiment) MAP -16.5 +/- 2.5 mm Hg v -3.2 +/- 1.5 mm Hg (P < .002). The TPTX decreased blood pressure in SHR versus SHR/control and was not different versus SHR/TPTX/NPS (DeltaMAP: -10.2 +/- 1.6 mm Hg v -3.2 +/- 1.5 mm Hg (P < .01) and v -8.3 +/- 2.2 mm Hg (P = not significant). In normotensive WKY rats application of NPS did not reach significance in DeltaMAP: -6.7 +/- 1.8 mm Hg v -2.6 +/- 2.8 mm Hg (P = not significant) in WKY/control. The TPTX lowered blood pressure in WKY versus WKY/control and remained unchanged versus WKY/TPTX/NPS (DeltaMAP: -11.3 +/- 1.7 mm Hg v -2.6 +/- 2.8 mm Hg (P < .04) and v -11.4 +/- 2.6 mm Hg (P = not significant). We conclude that phPTX with NPS R-568 is responsible for a decrease of MAP in SHR.