T Cells and Hypertension: Solved and Unsolved Mysteries Regarding the Female Rat

Abstract

T-cell function in female animal models of hypertension is poorly understood since most research is conducted in males. Our findings in Dahl-salt-sensitive and Dahl salt-resistant rats support prior research showing sex-specific T-cell effects in the pathophysiology of hypertension. Further studies are needed to inform clinical studies in both sexes and to provide clues into immune mechanisms underlying susceptibility and resilience to developing hypertension and associated disease.

FIGURE 1.

Sex of animals published in the journal Hypertension Shown are the number of animal studies published per month ± SE and percentage of articles published per month ± SE (inset) between January and July in the years 2007 and 2017 in the journal Hypertension. Animal studies are reported based on the use of both sexes and those that reported data solely in one sex (male or female). Articles that did not specify the sex of the animals studied are also reported. *Significant difference vs. 2007 [P < 0.05; two-way ANOVA (time, sex studied) followed by Sidak’s multiple comparison test].

FIGURE 2.

Renal T-cell profile of 1- and 4-mo female DSS/Env and DSR/Env rats Shown are frequencies of CD3 (A), CD4 (B), or CD8 (C) T cells; and CD4/CD8 ratios (D) in kidneys of 1- and 4-mo DSS/Env and DSR/Env female rats. The data are expressed as means ± SE (n = 7–8/ group). Significant difference (two-way ANOVA followed by Sidak’s multiple comparison test): *P < 0.05 vs. DSR/Env same age; ^$P < 0.05 1 mo, same strain.