Altered responsiveness to autonomic transmitters of hearts from neonatal spontaneously hypertensive rats

Responsiveness to autonomic neurotransmitters of isolated hearts from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) were compared in 1-day-old and 4-week-old neonates and adults. Chronotropic responses to norepinephrine (NE) and acetylcholine (Ach) were examined using right atrial preparations. There was no difference in the basal beating rate between SHR and WKY at all ages tested. The maximum beating rate produced by NE was higher in SHR only at 1 day after birth; there was no difference in the 4-week-old neonate and the adult. The sensitivity (pD2 values) to Ach was lower in SHR at both 1 day and 4 weeks after birth, but not in the adult. Inotropic responses to NE were examined using right ventricular preparations. The sensitivity was slightly higher in SHR at 1 day after birth, but no difference was observed in the 4-week-old neonate and the adult. These results suggested that the neonatal SHR heart has an increased function due to altered responsiveness to autonomic neurotransmitters, which may play a role in the initiation of hypertension.