Corticotropin stimulation of hypertensive rats with and without arteriosclerosis

Male and female, nonarteriosclerotic (virgin) and arteriosclerotic (breeder), Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to the hypertension-producing regimen of uninephrectomy, 1% saline drinking water, and desoxycorticosterone (Percorten) pivalate. Just before autopsy, some of the animals were given a single injection of corticotropin. The acute challenge of corticotropin caused a definite increase in free fatty acids, systolic blood pressure, creatine phosphokinase, glucose, and corticosterone. The two weeks of desoxycorticosterone and 1% saline-induced hypertension caused myocarditis and hyalinization of the coronary arteries of the nonarteriosclerotic (virgin) rats and definite exacerbation of the preexisting arteriosclerosis in breeder rats, severe myocarditis, and polyarteritis nodosa. All of the treated animals manifested lipid depletion of the zona glomerulosa indicative of reduced biosynthesis and secretion of endogenous mineralocorticoids due to the exogenous desoxycorticosterone and saline treatment.