[Hypertensive arteriopathy and atherogenesis: cellular and molecular interactions]

The spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR)--animal model for human essential hypertension--develops a generalized arteriopathy. The present paper discusses the atherogenic influence of hypertensive arterial lesions. The following changes in the intima might influence its permeability and barrier function, increase the trapping effect and stimulate the smooth muscle cell proliferation: the hyper-reactivity of endothelial cells; the decreased thickness of endothelial cell periphery; the reduced intercellular junction pathways; the increase in basal lamina and glycosaminoglycan sub-endothelial material; the mononuclear cell infiltrations; the widened fenestrae in the internal elastic lamina. Some hypertensive changes of the tunica media may also interact with atherogenic process through reduced smooth muscle cell lipolytic capabilities, slowed transmural diffusion, perturbed efflux, aggravated media hypoxia, namely: the decrease in esterase and cholinesterase activities, the activations of some lysosomal enzymes, the increase in collagen, glycosaminoglycan and elastin content; the increased media thickness and transmural passage; the modified smooth muscle cell behavior.