Changes of catecholamines in central and peripheral tissues and in the urines of deoxycorticosterone--salt...

The catecholamine concentrations in the urines and in the tissues of the kidney, heart, striatum, and hypothalamus of control rats and rats treated with deoxycorticosterone and salt for 2-week and 5-week periods were measured and compared. In 2-week-treated rats there were no changes in blood pressure and catecholamines. In 5-week-treated rats, the blood pressure increased from 117 +/- 5 to 152 +/- 5 mmHg (1 mmHg = 0.13 kPa) and there was an increase of urinary dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. The kidney and heart tissues of the hypertensive rats showed a decrease of norepinephrine while in the hypothalamus all three catecholamines were increased. These data suggest that dopamine and epinephrine may also be involved in the sympathetic dysfunction in deoxycorticosterone--salt hypertension. They demonstrate for the first time an increase of dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine in the hypothalamus of deoxycorticosterone--salt hypertensive rats.