There are differences in the renal handling of sodium between spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and their normotensive controls. We investigated whether this difference may be associated with changes in plasma and tissue atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) levels and with alterations in glomerular ANF receptors at 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks of age. Age-matched Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and Wistar rats were used as normotensive controls. Systolic blood pressure was higher in SHR at 8, 12, and 16 weeks, and cardiac hypertrophy was also present in these animals at 4 weeks. Plasma ANF C- and N-terminal concentrations were greater than in both normotensive groups at 8 and 16 weeks. ANF in the right atrium was higher in SHR than in WKY rats and identical to that in the Wistar group at 4 and 8 weeks. ANF in the left atrium was lower in SHR than in both control groups at week 12. No differences were found in ventricular ANF content. The density of glomerular ANF binding sites increased with age in WKY and Wistar rats but not in SHR. At weeks 8, 12, and 16, both normotensive groups had a higher density of binding sites than SHR, but binding site affinity was greater in SHR at weeks 8 and 12. After incubation with increasing concentrations of ANF, the production of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) by isolated glomeruli from 16-week-old rats was lower in SHR than in both normotensive groups. We conclude that the development of hypertension in SHR is associated with higher plasma ANF levels and decreased glomerular ANF receptor density and glomerular cGMP production.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Animals Atrial Natriuretic Factor