N epsilon-(carboxymethyl)lysine during the early development of hypertension.

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are associated with hypertension. Whether N(epsilon)-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML) contributes to the development of hypertension in young spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) remains to be established compared to WKY. We determined blood pressure, renal function, marker for oxidative stress (OS), and CML in young WKY rats and SHR. We found blood pressure was increased in SHR with no difference in renal function and OS compared to WKY. CML was elevated in plasma (2.3 +/- 0.3 vs. 1.3 +/- 0.2 micromol/L) and kidney (1.0 +/- 0.1 vs. 0.5 +/- 0.1 micromol/L) compared to WKY. Early CML accumulation may contribute to the development of hypertension potentially by inducing early renal inflammation independent of glomerular dysfunction or oxidative stress.