Skip to main content
PMC home page
The Journal of Physiology logoLink to The Journal of Physiology
. 1989 Mar;410:21–34. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1989.sp017518

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

N Ashton 1, R J Balment 1
PMCID: PMC1190464  PMID: 2795478

Abstract

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.

Full text

PDF
21

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Ashton N., Balment R. J. Neurohypophysial hormone influence on renal function in the New Zealand genetically hypertensive rat. Acta Endocrinol (Copenh) 1988 Jul;118(3):422–428. doi: 10.1530/acta.0.1180422. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Boer G. J., Kruisbrink J., van Pelt-Heerschap H. Long-term and constant release of vasopressin from Accurel tubing: implantation in the Brattleboro rat. J Endocrinol. 1983 Jul;98(1):147–152. doi: 10.1677/joe.0.0980147. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Buckingham J. C., Leach J. H. Hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical function in rats with inherited diabetes insipidus. J Physiol. 1980 Aug;305:397–404. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1980.sp013371. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Crofton J. T., Share L., Baer P. G., Allen C. M., Wang B. C. Vasopressin secretion in the New Zealand genetically hypertensive rat. Clin Exp Hypertens. 1981;3(5):975–989. doi: 10.3109/10641968109033716. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Crofton J. T., Share L., Shade R. E., Allen C., Tarnowski D. Vasopressin in the rat with spontaneous hypertension. Am J Physiol. 1978 Oct;235(4):H361–H366. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.1978.235.4.H361. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. DiBona G. F., Rios L. L. Mechanism of exaggerated diuresis in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Am J Physiol. 1978 Nov;235(5):409–416. doi: 10.1152/ajprenal.1978.235.5.F409. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Fyhrquist F., Tikkanen I., Linkola J. Plasma vasopressin concentration and renin in the rat: effect of hydration and hemorrhage. Acta Physiol Scand. 1981 Dec;113(4):507–510. doi: 10.1111/j.1748-1716.1981.tb06929.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Gardiner S. M., Bennett T. Interactions between neural mechanisms, the renin-angiotensin system and vasopressin in the maintenance of blood pressure during water deprivation: studies in Long Evans and Brattleboro rats. Clin Sci (Lond) 1985 Jun;68(6):647–657. doi: 10.1042/cs0680647. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Gardiner S. M., Bennett T. The effects of captopril on blood pressure, urinary water and electrolyte excretion and drinking behaviour in Brattleboro rats. Clin Sci (Lond) 1983 Dec;65(6):589–597. doi: 10.1042/cs0650589. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Gillies G., Lowry P. J. Corticotrophin releasing activity in extracts of the stalk median eminence of Brattleboro rats. J Endocrinol. 1980 Jan;84(1):65–73. doi: 10.1677/joe.0.0840065. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Iversen L. L., De Champlain J., Glowinski J., Axelrod J. Uptake, storage and metabolism of norepinephrine in tissues of the developing rat. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1967 Sep;157(3):509–516. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Jones D. R., Dowd D. A. Development of elevated blood pressure in young genetically hypertensive rats. Life Sci. 1970 Mar 1;9(5):247–250. doi: 10.1016/0024-3205(70)90025-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Kime D. E. Measurement of 1alpha-hydroxycorticosterone and other corticosteroids in elasmobranch plasma by radioimmunoassay. Gen Comp Endocrinol. 1977 Nov;33(3):344–351. doi: 10.1016/0016-6480(77)90049-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Lang R. E., Ganten D., Ganten U., Rascher W., Unger T. Pathogenesis of hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats: definite evidence against a pressor role of vasopressin. Clin Exp Hypertens A. 1984;6(1-2):121–138. doi: 10.3109/10641968409062555. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Lee J., Williams P. G. The effect of vasopressin (Pitressin) administration and dehydration on the concentration of solutes in renal fluids of rats with and without hereditary hypothalamic diabetes insipidus. J Physiol. 1972 Feb;220(3):729–743. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1972.sp009732. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Milne C. M., Balment R. J., Henderson I. W., Mosley W., Jones I. C. Adrenocortical function in the Brattleboro rat. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1982;394:230–240. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1982.tb37431.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Möhring J., Kintz J., Schoun J. Studies on the role of vasopressin in blood pressure control of spontaneously hypertensive rats with established hypertension (SHR, stroke-prone strain). J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 1979 Nov-Dec;1(6):593–608. doi: 10.1097/00005344-197911000-00001. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. OKAMOTO K., AOKI K. Development of a strain of spontaneously hypertensive rats. Jpn Circ J. 1963 Mar;27:282–293. doi: 10.1253/jcj.27.282. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. PHELAN E. L., SMIRK F. H. Cardiac hypertrophy in genetically hypertensive rats. J Pathol Bacteriol. 1960 Oct;80:445–448. doi: 10.1002/path.1700800236. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Phelan E. L. Genetic and autonomic factors in inherited hypertension. Circ Res. 1970 Oct;27(Suppl):65–74. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Phelan E. L. The New Zealand strain of rats with genetic hypertension. N Z Med J. 1968 Mar;67(429):334–344. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Robertson G. L., Mahr E. A., Athar S., Sinha T. Development and clinical application of a new method for the radioimmunoassay of arginine vasopressin in human plasma. J Clin Invest. 1973 Sep;52(9):2340–2352. doi: 10.1172/JCI107423. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Rosenbloom A. A., Fisher D. A. Radioimmunoassayable avt and avp in adult mammalian brain tissue: comparison of normal and brattleboro rats. Neuroendocrinology. 1975;17(4):354–361. doi: 10.1159/000122373. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Schwartz J., Reid I. A. Role of the vasoconstrictor and antidiuretic activities of vasopressin in inhibition of renin secretion in conscious dogs. Am J Physiol. 1986 Jan;250(1 Pt 2):F92–F96. doi: 10.1152/ajprenal.1986.250.1.F92. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Sladek C. D., Blair M. L., Mangiapane M. Evidence against a pressor role for vasopressin in spontaneous hypertension. Hypertension. 1987 Apr;9(4):332–338. doi: 10.1161/01.hyp.9.4.332. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Trippodo N. C., Walsh G. M., Frohlich E. D. Fluid volumes during onset of spontaneous hypertension in rats. Am J Physiol. 1978 Jul;235(1):H52–H55. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.1978.235.1.H52. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Willis L. R., McCallum P. W., Higgins J. T., Jr Exaggerated natriuresis in the conscious spontaneously hypertensive rat. J Lab Clin Med. 1976 Feb;87(2):265–272. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Journal of Physiology are provided here courtesy of The Physiological Society

RESOURCES