Primary role of renal homografts in setting chronic blood pressure levels in rats

Abstract

The genotype of homograft kidneys plays the primary role in determining chronic blood pressure levels in two strains of rats with opposite genetically controlled propensities for hyptertension. In hypertensive rats from the hypertension-prone (S) strain, a renal homograft from the same strain resulted in a slight rise in blood pressure to a level that was equivalent to that in appropriate uninephrectomized S controls. In contrast, a renal homograft from the hypertension-resistant (R) strain led to a sharp fall in blood pressure in hypertensive S recipients. Opposite results were found when the host came from the R strain: R homografts maintained the same low pressure as that seen in controls, whereas S homografts resulted in hypertension. We concluded that genetically controlled factors operating through the kidney can chronically modify the blood pressure up or down. The central role of the kidney in hypertension is thus further documented.