Vasopressin secretion in the New Zealand genetically hypertensive rat

Evidence for a Prehypertensive Water Dysregulation Affecting the Development of Hypertension: Results of Very Early Treatment of Vasopressin V1 and V2 Antagonism in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

In addition to long-term regulation of blood pressure (BP), in the kidney resides the initial trigger for hypertension development due to an altered capacity to excrete sodium and water. Betaine is one of the major organic osmolytes, and its betaine/gamma-aminobutyric acid transporter (BGT-1) expression in the renal medulla relates to interstitial tonicity and urinary osmolality and volume. This study investigated altered water and sodium balance as well as changes in antidiuretic hormone (ADH) activity in female spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats from their 3–5 weeks of age (prehypertensive phase) to SHR’s 28–30 weeks of age (established hypertension-organ damage). Young prehypertensive SHRs showed a reduced daily urine output, an elevated urine osmolarity, and higher immunostaining of tubule BGT-1, alpha-1-Na-K ATPase in the outer medulla vs. age-matched WKY. ADH circulating levels were not different between young prehypertensive SHR and WKY, but the urine aquaporin2 (AQP2)/creatinine ratio and labeling of AQP2 in the collecting duct were increased. At 28–30 weeks, hypertensive SHR with moderate renal failure did not show any difference in urinary osmolarity, urine AQP2/creatinine ratio, tubule BGT-1, and alpha-1-Na-K ATPase as compared with WKY. These results suggest an increased sensitivity to ADH in prehypertensive female SHR. On this basis, a second series of experiments were set to study the role of ADH V1 and V2 receptors in the development of hypertension, and a group of female prehypertensive SHRs were treated from the 25th to 49th day of age with either V1 (OPC21268) or V2 (OPC 41061) receptor antagonists to evaluate the BP time course. OPC 41061-treated SHRs had a delayed development of hypertension for 5 weeks without effect in OPC 21268-treated SHRs. In prehypertensive female SHR, an increased renal ADH sensitivity is crucial for the development of hypertension by favoring a positive water balance. Early treatment with selective V2 antagonism delays future hypertension development in young SHRs.

Vascular, renal, and endocrine responses to low-dose atrial natriuretic peptide in the fluid-balanced New Zealand genetically hypertensive rats with and without endogenous arginine vasopressin

In hypertension, the relationship between atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and vasopressin (AVP) is not yet clear, although their renal actions are effectively autoregulation. To examine the possible interaction further, the responses to ANP infusion (75 ng·min-1, i.v.) have been investigated in both hypertensive and normotensive AVP-replete (HT and NT) and AVP-deficient (HTDI and NTDI) rats. This study aimed to assess the renal function and the plasma hormone concentrations of AVP, angiotensin II (AII), ANP, aldosterone, and corticosterone in the conscious, chronically catheterized, fluid-balanced rats, and to examine the cardiovascular, renal, and endocrine responses to a constant infusion of a low-dose ANP. Data gained from the present study showed, for the first time, the hormone profile, plasma electrolyte composition, and detailed renal function of the servo-controlled, fluid-balanced rats. The similarities of plasma electrolyte composition between servo-controlled and untreated rats indicated that the servo-controlled fluid replacement technique maintained the differences between the strains and maintained body fluid balance during the experimental periods. Following ANP administration, there were no changes in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in all groups, but an enduring diuresis and natriuresis were observed in HT and NT, which were milder in HTDI rats. However, the hypotensive effect of ANP was of a similar magnitude in all rat strains. HTDI rats exhibited an inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), which may have participated in the reduced mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and natriuresis observed in these rats. The renal actions of ANP appear to rely upon renal tubular events, as indicated by increased fractional electrolyte excretions in the AVP-replete rats. This study highlights the importance of AVP to the profile of the renal actions of ANP in normal rats.Key words: atrial natriuretic peptide, arginine vasopressin, renal, hypertension.

Blood pressure and renal function in a novel vasopressin-deficient, genetically hypertensive rat strain

1. Hereditary hypothalamic diabetes insipidus was introduced into the New Zealand genetically hypertensive (NZGH) rat and its normotensive substrain (NZN) by cross-breeding males with female Brattleboro diabetes insipidus (DI) rats. 2. Selective breeding of the resultant DI/hypertensive (DI/H) rats on the basis of maximum systolic blood pressure and vasopressin deficiency produced animals in the F6 generation with blood pressures at 10 weeks of age higher than in DI/normotensive rats (DI/N), but much lower than in age-matched NZGH animals. Age-matched NZN and DI/N rats had comparable blood pressures. 3. Fluid turnover was far greater in DI/N and DI/H rats than in NZN and NZGH rats. Although comparable in DI/N and NZN rats, water balance (intake-urinary loss) was reduced in DI/H rats by comparison with NZGH rats. 4. Sodium balance was lower in DI/N rats compared with NZN rats but did not differ between DI/H and NZGH animals. Both DI groups had lower potassium balances. 5. Basal plasma vasopressin was elevated in NZGH rats compared with NZN rats, while vasopressin was undetectable in DI animals. Plasma aldosterone levels did not differ between groups, but corticosterone was lower in DI/N and DI/H rats by comparison with NZN and NZGH rats. 6. Replacement of vasopressin to achieve physiological plasma hormone levels restored normal fluid management in DI animals and was associated with a modest increase in systolic blood pressure in DI/N animals, compared with sham-treated rats. A much larger increase in blood pressure was observed in AVP-treated DI/H animals, but blood pressure remained below that in NZGH rats. 7. It is apparent that vasopressin may contribute to the hypertension of the NZGH rat and that it may be required from an early age. The mode of this contribution is unclear, but abnormal renal responses have been identified.

The role of vasopressin in experimental and clinical hypertension

The vasoconstrictor and vasopressor actions of vasopressin have been revealed in recent research through the use of highly specific and sensitive radioimmunoassays, employment of peptide antagonists, and comparison with an animal model which has hereditary absence of this hormone, the Brattleboro rat. Factors now known to modify the pressor effect of vasopressin are the baroreflexes, local vascular prostaglandin production, and a specific interaction with angiotensin II. In experimental models the volume retaining, but not the vasoconstrictor effect of vasopressin is necessary for mineralocorticoid-salt hypertension. Vasopressin contributes directly to the increase in arterial pressure of glycerol induced acute renal failure. In nephrectomized rats, plasma vasopressin is elevated and contributes directly to maintenance of pressure. Vasopressin antagonism may reduce arterial pressure in Goldblatt 1 and 2 kidney hypertension and in one genetic model, spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR), but the peptide is not necessary for hypertension in these models. Plasma vasopressin is reduced in primary aldosteronism, but may be elevated in malignant hypertension. In essential hypertension, there is considerable disagreement among various studies in which plasma vasopressin, urine vasopressin excretion, platelet associated vasopressin, or vasopressin-neurophysin were measured as to whether there is evidence for increased secretion of vasopressin. Only preliminary studies of vasopressin antagonism in clinical hypertension have been reported. At present, there is no conclusive evidence that elevated vasopressin secretion occurs or is necessary for any form of clinical hypertension.

Blood pressure and arginine vasotocin in normonatremic and hypernatremic ducks

As a model to study effects of chronic, excessive salt loading on circulation, Pekin ducks were adapted to 2% saline solution as their sole water supply, while fresh-water-adapted animals were used as controls. Due to the development of salt-eliminating glands, salt-adapted ducks are able to cope indefinitely with this salt stress which means a daily ingestion of 5-6 g NaCl per kg body weight per day, associated with a chronic elevation of plasma osmolality and plasma sodium by 5-8% above normal and an up to 3-fold increase of antidiuretic hormone concentration in comparison to animals maintained on fresh water. Salt loading for up to 14 months did neither increase arterial mean, nor diastolic, nor pulse pressure. On the contrary, arterial mean and diastolic pressure were slightly lower in the salt-adapted than in the fresh-water-adapted animals, while pulse pressure and heart rate did not differ. Circulatory adaptation to removal and reinfusion of 10% of the estimated blood volume was identical in salt-water and fresh-water-adapted ducks. It is concluded that even excessive chronic salt loading resulting in chronic hyperosmolality with high plasma levels of sodium and antidiuretic hormone does not alter hemodynamic adaptation, provided that efficient compensating mechanisms are at the animal's disposal.

Vasopressor hyperresponsiveness in New Zealand genetically hypertensive rats

The relationship of blood pressure (BP) to vascular hyperresponsiveness to norepinephrine (NE) in New Zealand genetically hypertensive (NZGH) rats was studied with an isolated, perfused hindquarters preparation. Four separate studies were conducted, and the findings were as follows. 1) Compared with New Zealand normotensive rats (NZNR), NZGH rats by 3 weeks of age clearly showed hyperresponsiveness, although the BP difference had not yet fully developed. 2) Bilateral renal denervation of NZGH at 3 weeks of age delayed the development of hypertension for 4 weeks, but did not lessen the vascular hyperresponsiveness. 3) In one-kidney, one clip renal hypertensive NZNR, vascular responsiveness was increased but remained less than that of age-matched NZGH. 4) In an F2 generation of NZGH-NZNR cross-bred rats, the average adult systolic BP was 163 mm Hg, similar to that of the NZGH parent strain; however, vascular responsiveness was reduced to an intermediate level, lower than that of NZGH but higher than that of NZNR. It is concluded that the vascular hyperresponsiveness of NZGH rats to NE is a primary characteristic that can be largely dissociated from elevated BP.

Contribution of vasopressin to hypertension

The contribution of vasopressin to the hypertensive process has been examined in a number of models of hypertension. Vasopressin is essential for the production of DOC-salt hypertension in the rat, It is likely that vasopressin is required in the early stages of this model of hypertension for its antidiuretic activity and contributes to the later stages of the hypertension as a pressor agent. Vasopressin secretion is increased in SHR, but there may be some differences between the SHR and stroke-prone SHR strains. The pressor action of vasopressin appears to be important in the stroke-prone SHR with well-established hypertension, but not in the young SHR. Vasopressin secretion is greater in Dahl S rats on a high salt diet than in similarly treated R rats. Blockade of vasopressin's pressor activity failed to lower blood pressure in these S rats, unless they were pretreated with captopril. There is insufficient information to determine whether vasopressin has a role in the hypertension in NZGH rats. Vasopressin appears to function as a pressor agent in some, but not all, rats with two-kidney, one clip hypertension. Although vasopressin is not essential for the production of one-kidney, one clip hypertension, it apparently contributes to the hypertension by virtue of its antidiuretic activity. Vasopressin secretion is elevated in partial nephrectomy-salt hypertension, and here, too, it is needed for its antidiuretic action. The question of whether vasopressin secretion is elevated in human essential hypertension is controversial, and its role remains to be determined.