Elevated arterial cyclic AMP levels during the development of one-kidney, one-clip and DOCA hypertension in rats.

A marked increase in the cyclic AMP content and concentration of the thoracic aorta was detected during the rise in blood pressure produced by one-kidney, one-clip and DOCA hypertension. This alteration was accompanied by the development of vascular hypertrophy and preceded the abnormal increase in DNA content observed in the arterial system during the more chronic stages of the disease. These experiments suggest the participation of cyclic AMP in the development of hypertension vascular growth.