Cold-induced hypertension. A model of mineralocorticoid-induced hypertension.

Hypertension, tachycardia and cardiac hypertrophy develop in rats exposed to mild cold (5 degrees C, 41 degrees F) for 1 to 3 weeks. Elevation of blood pressure (BP) during cold exposure is sodium dependent, although the rats still have an elevation of BP with a minimum of NaCl in their diet. Drugs that interfere with the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone (RAA) system at various levels (propranolol, clonidine, captopril, losartan and spironolactone) are able to prevent the development of cold-induced hypertension (CIH). Plasma renin activity (PRA) increases during the first 3 weeks of exposure to cold and then gradually decreases toward control level. Increased blood pressure and dipsogenic sensitivity to administration of angiotensin II (Ang II) have been demonstrated during the first 3 weeks of exposure to cold suggesting an upregulation of Ang II receptors when PRA is elevated. Additional studies have shown greater Fos-like immunoreactivity in the diencephalon of cold-exposed compared to warm-acclimated rats after 1 hr i.v. infusion of Ang II (333 ng/kg/min). Thus, most characteristics of cold-induced hypertension mimic those of hypertension induced experimentally by chronic administration of large doses of deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) and salt. The results suggest that CIH is a mineralocorticoid-induced hypertension and that various levels of the RAA system contribute.

Sodium pyruvate is better than sodium chloride as a resuscitation solution in a rodent model of profound hemorrhagic shock.

Pyruvate is an energy substrate that has both inotropic and antioxidant properties. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that survivorship would be better after resuscitation with 1.7% sodium pyruvate than 0.9% sodium chloride in a profound hemorrhagic shock model. The study was performed in a blinded manner. Rats were randomly assigned into two groups (ten in each group), a sodium chloride resuscitation group and a sodium pyruvate resuscitation group. After a 60-min shock period, we infused 80 ml/kg of a resuscitation solution. We continuously monitored mean arterial pressure and heart rate for 50 min after resuscitation. We recognized death by the disappearance of blood pressure pulsation and precordial movement. We performed a comparison of survivorship at 50 min post resuscitation using a Z-test of proportions. Nine (90%) of the animals that received sodium pyruvate were living 50 min after resuscitation, whereas only three (30%) of the animals that received sodium chloride survived to the same time point. We conclude that sodium pyruvate is better than sodium chloride as a resuscitation solution in a model of profound hemorrhagic shock.

Effect of chronic treatment with propranolol on the cardiovascular responses to chronic cold exposure.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether beta-adrenergic receptors are involved in the elevation of blood pressure, tachycardia, and cardiac hypertrophy in rats chronically exposed to cold (5 degrees C). Four groups of rats were used. Two groups of rats were exposed to 5 degrees C and the other 2 groups were kept at 25 degrees C. In each temperature condition, one group received regular food while the other received food to which a nonspecific beta-adrenoceptor antagonist, d,l-propranolol, was added. The blood pressure of the untreated, cold-exposed group increased significantly within 3 weeks of exposure to cold and remained elevated until the end of the experiment. Chronic treatment with d,l-propranolol decreased the rate of cold-induced elevation of blood pressure at doses of 1.0 and 1.2 g/kg of food, and produced a complete reversal of hypertension at a higher dose ( 1.5 g/kg of food). Propranolol also prevented tachycardia in cold-exposed rats. The fact that propranolol decreased the elevation of blood pressure and prevented tachycardia suggests that both beta1- and beta2-adrenoceptors are blocked in cold-exposed rats. Propranolol, however, did not affect cold-induced cardiac hypertrophy.

Comparison of changes in blood pressure and dipsogenic responsiveness to angiotensin II in male and female rats chronically exposed to cold.

In most forms of experimentally induced hypertension in rats, females develop a less severe form of the disease than males. The objective of the present study was to compare the two genders with respect to the development of cold-induced hypertension. The results of the study indicate that both males and females develop comparable elevations of blood pressure and at approximately the same rate. Thus, the blood pressures of both groups increased significantly within 2 weeks of exposure to cold and reached similar maximal levels by the seventh week. The dipsogenic responsiveness of both groups of cold-exposed rats to acute administration of the peptide hormone, angiotensin II (AngII), was increased to approximately the same extent above that of warm-adapted counterparts, suggesting an increase in the responsiveness to AngII in the brain. To assess this possibility, the induction of the oncogene, cFos, was studied in brain following IV infusion of AngII (333 ng/kg/min). Fos-like immunoreactivity (FLI) was greater (p < 0.01) in subfornical organ, supraoptic and paraventricular hypothalamic nuclei of both cold-exposed groups compared to warm-adapted controls. Thus, both male and female rats have similar elevations of blood pressure as well as increased dipsogenic and FLI responsiveness to administration of AngII during chronic exposure to cold.

Induction of hyperhydration in rats by IP loading with graded concentrations of NaCl solution.

IP loads of NaCl solution (1% of body weight) varying in concentration from 0.15-1.0 M were used to assess their ability to induce hyperhydration in rats that were allowed access to water for 6 h after loading. The hypertonic concentrations (0.25, 0.50, and 1.0 M) increased water intake in a concentration-related fashion. Only loads of 0.50 and 1.0 M NaCl solution increased urine output above that of water-loaded controls. All hypertonic concentrations increased fluid exchange (i.e., water intake less urine output) significantly. There was a direct concentration-related increase in accumulative mean fluid exchange (delta FE, fluid exchange of NaCl-loaded group less that of control group). There was also a direct concentration-related increase in the time of hyperhydration. When related to each other, delta FE was a direct linear function of time of hyperhydration. The slope and intercept of this relationship were compared with those found in an earlier study for angiotensin II (AngII) and isoproterenol (ISO), both potent dipsogens. Comparison revealed that slopes, but not intercepts, of the relationship between delta FE and time of hyperhydration for any two of the three treatments differed significantly. These data suggest that a given time of hyperhydration can be achieved at a lower delta FE with NaCl loads than with administration of either AngII or ISO. This suggests, in turn, that loading with NaCl solutions produces a more effective hyperhydration than is achieved with administration of either AngII or ISO.

Comparison of the hyperhydrating effects of angiotensin II and isoproterenol.

Administration of a single dose of angiotensin II (AII) has been shown to induce a state of hyperhydration in rats that can last from 6-10 h depending upon the route of administration and the dose. The objective of the present study was to determine whether another dipsogenic agent, isoproterenol (ISO), a beta-adrenoceptor agonist, could also induce a state of hyperhydration. The results indicate that a single SC dose of ISO can induce a hyperhydration that lasts from 4-6 h depending upon the dose administered. Administration of graded doses of either AII or ISO induced graded increases both in the time of hyperhydration and change in accumulative mean fluid exchange, (delta FE, fluid exchange of treated less fluid exchange of control). These two parameters were related linearly and directly for each drug, although the slopes, but not the intercepts, of the relationship for each drug differed significantly. Because the objective of optimal hyperhydration should be to achieve the longest duration of positive fluid balance with the least amount of ingested fluid (i.e., delta FE), the slopes of the two lines provide a convenient way to compare the hyperhydration induced by AII and ISO. By this criterion, it would appear that AII provides a more optimal hyperhydration than ISO.

Hyperhydrating effect of acute administration of angiotensin II in rats.

Water intake, urine output, and fluid exchange (water intake less urine output) were measured in rats at hourly intervals for 7 hours and at 24 hours following acute administration of angiotensin II (AII, 200 micrograms/kg SC). AII induced the expected abrupt increase in water intake and a more gradual increase in urine output. The change in fluid exchange (fluid exchange of the AII-treated group less fluid exchange of controls) became positive within the first hour after treatment with AII, decreased linearly with time, and reached 0 at approximately 10 to 12 hours after treatment with AII. When AII was administered intracerebroventricularly (50 ng), similar results were observed. In this case, the change in fluid exchange (delta F) reached 0 in about 6 hours. Imposition of a water load (1% of body weight, IP) on the group receiving AII SC failed to affect the time required for delta F to reach 0 if the water load was disregarded. However, inclusion of the load as a part of intake extended the time the rats remained in positive fluid balance beyond that of the nonloaded, AII-treated control group. In the case of the larger water load (3% of body weight, IP), delta F returned to that of controls in about 4 to 5 hours if the water load was disregarded. However, inclusion of the load as part of intake extended the period of hyperhydration well beyond that of both the nonloaded, AII-treated group and the AII-treated group given the 1% load.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Ventricular performance and Na+-K+ ATPase activity are reduced early and late after myocardial infarction in rats.

Myocardial infarction leads to compensatory ventricular remodeling. Disturbances in myocardial contractility depend on the active transport of Ca2+ and Na+, which are regulated by Na+-K+ ATPase. Inappropriate regulation of Na+-K+ ATPase activity leads to excessive loss of K+ and gain of Na+ by the cell. We determined the participation of Na+-K+ ATPase in ventricular performance early and late after myocardial infarction. Wistar rats (8-10 per group) underwent left coronary artery ligation (infarcted, Inf) or sham-operation (Sham). Ventricular performance was measured at 3 and 30 days after surgery using the Langendorff technique. Left ventricular systolic pressure was obtained under different ventricular diastolic pressures and increased extracellular Ca2+ concentrations (Ca2+e) and after low and high ouabain concentrations. The baseline coronary perfusion pressure increased 3 days after myocardial infarction and normalized by 30 days (Sham 3 = 88 +/- 6; Inf 3 = 130 +/- 9; Inf 30 = 92 +/- 7 mmHg; P < 0.05). The inotropic response to Ca2+e and ouabain was reduced at 3 and 30 days after myocardial infarction (Ca2+ = 1.25 mM; Sham 3 = 70 +/- 3; Inf 3 = 45 +/- 2; Inf 30 = 29 +/- 3 mmHg; P < 0.05), while the Frank-Starling mechanism was preserved. At 3 and 30 days after myocardial infarction, ventricular Na+-K+ ATPase activity and contractility were reduced. This Na+-K+ ATPase hypoactivity may modify the Na+, K+ and Ca2+ transport across the sarcolemma resulting in ventricular dysfunction.

Renal hypertension.

Continuing interest in the mechanism of hypertension have produced considerable new information on the underlying pathophysiologic processes involved. Elucidation of the role of renal malperfusion, the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone mechanism, and renal medullary antihypertensive substances continues to clarify our understanding of renal hypertension. Current evidence suggests that angiotensin can produce hypertension by a direct effect on peripheral blood vessels in malignant hypertension and in renin-secreting renal tumors and by an intrarenal mechanism influencing intrarenal distribution of blood flow, and, thereby, sodium resorption in chronic renovascular hypertension. The current diagnostic techniques used to determine the presence of renal atery stenosis and its functional significance are reviewed. Arteriographic evidence of renal artery collaterals and a positive differential venous renin ratio are the two parameters whose usefulness and practicality have been best documented in recent years. The results of surgical procedures reported in the world literature show a 50 per cent rate with a further 30 per cent improvement rate in terms of control of hypertension. When functional significance of stenosis is demonstrated before surgical procedures, cure rates of the order of 80 per cent can be achieved. Recent developments of technique of operating room upon less extensive lesions of the renal artery branch extend the possibilities of surgical benefit which should also be considered in the presence of renal failure of renovascular origin.

Effect of pyridoxine and tryptophan, alone and combined, on the development of deoxycorticosterone acetate-induced hypertension in rats.

Chronic dietary administration of pyridoxine HCl (300 mg/kg/day), L-tryptophan (1.26 g/kg/day), or a combination of the two can attenuate the elevation of systolic blood pressure in DOCA-salt-treated rats. With these treatments, the characteristic increase in the weight of the heart accompanying chronic administration of DOCA (786 micrograms/kg/day) was also attenuated. Thus, both tryptophan and pyridoxine possess antihypertensive properties, and the combination of the two appeared to provide greater protection than either alone. The results are consistent with the possibility that pyridoxine, an important cofactor in the metabolic pathways for tryptophan, may facilitate the conversion of tryptophan to antihypertensive compounds. Additional studies will be required to determine which of the metabolites of tryptophan possess antihypertensive properties. Pyridoxal phosphate, one of the metabolites of pyridoxine, was also administered chronically in the diet (1.0 and 2.0% by weight) to rats whose blood pressures were elevated by administration of DOCA. The results of this study suggest that pyridoxal phosphate can also lower the blood pressure of rats with established hypertension. Thus, these studies reveal that pyridoxine, pyridoxal phosphate and tryptophan are potential antihypertensive agents.

Effect of renal denervation on elevation of blood pressure in cold-exposed rats.

The objective of this experiment was to determine whether bilateral renal denervation (RD) prevents the elevation of blood pressure and cardiac hypertrophy characteristically induced by chronic exposure to cold. Four groups (nine male rats each) were used. The kidneys of two groups were bilaterally denervated, while the remaining two groups were sham operated. Systolic blood pressures of the four groups, measured indirectly from the tail, did not differ significantly during the control period and following RD. At this time, 1 RD and 1 sham-operated group was exposed to cold (5 degrees C, 41 degrees F). The remaining RD and sham-operated groups were kept at 25 degrees C. Blood pressure of the cold-exposed, sham-operated group increased significantly during the 1st week of cold exposure (125 +/- 2 mmHg; 1 mmHg = 133.3 Pa), and rose to 139 +/- 4 mmHg by the 5th week, whereas the blood pressure of the RD group exposed to cold remained at the control level (116 +/- 2 mmHg). Both RD and sham-operated cold-exposed groups developed cardiac hypertrophy with significantly increased resting heart rates compared with controls kept at 25 degrees C. Plasma renin activities and renal norepinephrine content of kidneys of both RD groups at 7 weeks after RD were significantly less than those of sham-operated controls, confirming that renal nerves had been severed. Thus, RD prevented the elevation of blood pressure induced by chronic exposure to cold but had no significant effect on cardiac hypertrophy.