One-clip, one-kidney hypertension in rats with hereditary hypothalamic diabetes insipidus

An attempt was made to produce one-clip, one-kidney hypertension in the rat with diabetes insipidus (DI). Renal artery constriction in unilaterally nephrectomized DI rats (DI-clip) resulted in an increased blood pressure in all 9 rats, but this response was only transient in 3 rats. The magnitude of the hypertension was less in the DI-clip rats than in Long-Evans rats subjected to the same protocol (LE-clip). Infusion of saralasin i.v. at doses of 10 and 30 micrograms/kg . min. 4 to 6 weeks after surgery was without effect on mean arterial pressure in LE-clip and control DI rats, but substantially lowered blood pressure in the DI-clip rats (p less that 0.05 - 0.01). It is concluded that vasopressin is not essential for the production of one-clip, one kidney hypertension in the rat, and that, in the DI rat, the renin-angiotensin system is an important factor in this form of hypertension.