title: Renal denervation abolishes hypertension in low-birth-weight offspring from pregnant rats with reduced uterine perfusion.
abstract: Low birth weight is a risk factor for the subsequent development of hypertension in humans. We previously reported that reduced uterine perfusion in the pregnant rat results in growth-restricted offspring predisposed to the development of hypertension. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the sympathetic nervous system plays a role in mediating hypertension in this model of low birth weight. Weight at birth was significantly decreased in male growth-restricted offspring (5.9+/-0.1 grams) as compared with male control offspring (6.5+/-0.2 grams; P<0.05). At 10 weeks of age, growth-restricted offspring and control offspring were randomly assigned to either an intact group (sham-denervated) or a group subjected to bilateral renal denervation. For sham-denervated offspring, mean arterial pressure was significantly elevated in growth-restricted offspring (145+/-4 mm Hg; n=7) as compared with control offspring (134+/-3 mm Hg; P<0.05; n=9) at 12 weeks of age. Bilateral renal denervation resulted in a marked reduction in arterial pressure in growth-restricted offspring (125+/-3 mm Hg; P<0.01; difference of 20 mm Hg versus sham growth-restricted; n=8) but no significant decrease in control offspring (127+/-3 mm Hg; difference of 7 mm Hg versus sham control; n=9). Adequacy of renal denervation was verified by >90% reduction in renal norepinephrine content. Therefore, these findings indicate the renal nerves play an important role in mediating hypertension in adult growth-restricted offspring.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Center for Excellence in Cardiovascular-Renal Research, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State St, Jackson, MS 39216-4505, USA. balexander@physiology.umsmed.edu
authors.forename: Barbara T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: Andrew E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Hendon
authors.forename: Geoffrey
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ferril
authors.forename: Terry M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Dwyer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001724:Birth Weight; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003714:Denervation; D005260:Female; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D007668:Kidney / Q000201:enzymology / Q000294:innervation*; D008297:Male; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism; D014599:Uterus / Q000098:blood supply*; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D009638:Norepinephrine