Blood pressure and acidic renin forms in stroke-prone hypertensive rats

Six forms of renin, distinguishable by their isoelectric focusing characteristics, are found in rat kidney and plasma (forms 1-6, form 1 having the most basic pI). To test the hypothesis that high blood pressure in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP) is associated with a particular fraction of the renin forms, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and renin profile were measured in SHRSP, normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY), and their genetic crosses (F1). Adult SHRSP showed an increase in the proportion of forms 4, 5, and 6 compared with WKY. F1 showed values between SHRSP and WKY. A strong positive correlation was noted between the fraction of the acidic forms of renin and SBP. The mean blood pressure and the fraction of the acidic renin forms in SHRSP and WKY pups also fitted the same regression line. However, no correlation existed between renal renin content (RRC) and SBP. SHRSP pups had a higher RRC than age-matched WKY or F1. RRC in normal adult SHRSP was lower than that in WKY or F1 of the same age. In old animals, SHRSP again showed the highest RRC, and microangiography of the kidney of old SHRSP revealed a loss of fine vascularity with few visible glomeruli. These results indicate that the established phase of hypertension in SHRSP is associated with an increased proportion of the acidic forms of renin, which may have a unique role in the establishment or maintenance of hypertension. It is also suggested that high RRC in the early developmental stage plays a role in the developing phase of hypertension.