Early lead challenge and subsequent hypertension in Sprague-Dawley rats.
OBJECTIVE
The consequences of chronic, low grade lead (Pb) burden from earlier exposure on development of hypertension (HT) and cardiovascular disease is, at best, controversial, even though many epidemiological studies suggest the possibility. Accordingly, we examined ability of a short-term Pb challenge to cause later developing HT in rats.


METHODS
We gave 12 newly weaned Sprague-Dawley rats (SD) a 1% Pb acetate solution to drink for 6 weeks, while 12 control rats drank water. The rats were further subdivided into groups consuming high and low amounts of sugar. All rats were followed for 4 months after cessation of the Pb challenge.


RESULTS
Early Pb challenge caused no significant changes in body weight (BW) from controls; however, systolic blood pressures (SBP) of rats initially receiving Pb continued to rise significantly above their respective dietary controls for months after cessation of challenge. While a high sugar diet alone was associated with elevated SBP, high sugar consumers also challenged with Pb had the highest SBP. Protein excretion did not increase, suggesting, along with other evidence, a lack of significant renal damage.


CONCLUSIONS
Previous exposure to Pb can cause subsequent chronic elevations in SBP.
Preuss
H G
HG
Department of Medicine, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC.
Jiang
G
G
Jones
J W
JW
Macarthy
P O
PO
Andrews
P M
PM
Gondal
J A
JA
D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001806:Blood Urea Nitrogen; D001822:Body Burden; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000009:adverse effects; D006973:Hypertension / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007854:Lead / Q000633:toxicity* / Q000652:urine; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D007854:Lead; D003404:Creatinine