How the kidney and carotid body interact to cause high blood pressure

Carotid body-renal interactions in renovascular hypertension

Dr Maarten Koeners from the University of Bristol wants to better understand the causes and mechanisms of hypertension, or high blood pressure, so we can develop more effective treatments. High blood pressure is a risk factor for several diseases, including heart attack and stroke. Dr Koeners and his research team are interested in how the kidney and a small cluster of cells in the carotid artery in the throat (the carotid body) work together to cause high blood pressure. The carotid body monitors changes in the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the blood, and helps to control breathing. We know that the carotid body interacts with the nervous system and the kidney to control blood pressure, but we don’t fully understand how. In this project, the researchers will examine in rats how the kidney and the carotid body signal to each other to cause high blood pressure. They will study signals from the kidneys’ nerve supply, kidney hormones and carotid artery blood flow to find out how they affect the development of hypertension They will then investigate whether blocking the kidney and carotid body from working together can reduce hypertension. Understanding how these different organs work together could reveal new, more effective ways to treat high blood pressure, with fewer side effects.