Altered element concentrations in tissues of spontaneously hypertensive rats

The involvement of elements in the pathological process of primary hypertension has been established. The tissue distribution of 12 elements was studied in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive homologous rats (WKY). A multi-element analytical technique allowed simultaneous determination of sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, strontium, rubidium, manganese, copper, zinc, iron, sulphur and phosphorus in blood, plasma, brain, liver, kidney, skeletal muscle, heart and bone. Most elements were modified in SHR, except Ca, Rb and S. In plasma, an increase in Cu (+22%) and a decrease in K (-8%), Mg (-15%) and P (-11%) were observed. These variations, qualitatively similar to those found in man, suggest that the results in animal tissues could be extrapolated to man. Modifications were observed in all the tissues tested. Among them significant variations were noted in Na (+18%), Mn (+12%) and Cu (+29%) in kidney, and in K (+5%), Mg (+9%), Sr (-29%) and Zn (+14%) in heart. The role of these plasma and tissue variations in hypertension is discussed, as well as the possible involvement of the hypertensive process and/or hormones.