Alterations of lymphocyte populations during development in the spontaneously hypertensive rat.
OBJECTIVE
Immune system abnormalities have been linked to hypertension in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR). The goal of our study was to examine different lymphocyte subpopulations in the prehypertensive and developmental phases of hypertension in the SHR.


METHODS
Blood samples were obtained from SHR and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats at the following time-points: 2 weeks and 1, 2, 3 and 4 months. Lymphocytes were separated from the whole blood.


METHODS
Monoclonal antibodies were used to fluorescently label the following lymphocyte subpopulations; total T cells, T non-helper cells, T helper cells and B cells. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis was used to quantify the percentages of the different subpopulations examined.


RESULTS
The T non-helper cell population was depressed in SHR from 2 weeks of age. This finding persisted throughout the entire 4-month study period. At the 4-month time-point, the total T cell percentage was also depressed in the SHR.


CONCLUSIONS
These results demonstrate that immune system abnormalities are present in the prehypertensive and developmental phases of hypertension in the SHR. This supports the hypothesis that the immune system is involved in the development and maintenance of hypertension in the SHR, preceding not adapting to this state.
Fannon
L D
LD
Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville 32610.
Braylan
R C
RC
Phillips
M I
MI
D000818:Animals; D006973:Hypertension / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR / Q000254:growth & development*; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology