Cardiac acetylcholinesterase molecular forms and choline acetyltransferase in the Dahl (salt-sensitive) hypertensive strain of rats: a regional study.

A regional study of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) molecular forms and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) in the hearts of Dahl-salt sensitive (DS) and salt resistant (DR) rats was performed in animals administered either 8% or 0.35% dietary NaCl. Atria isolated from DS rats, regardless of dietary NaCl intake, had lower activities of all of the AChE molecular forms and ChAT when compared to their dietary-matched DR controls. In the ventricles, the activities of AChE molecular forms and ChAT were lower in DS rats compared to dietary-matched DR rats only when 8% NaCl diets were administered. The percent contribution of each of the molecular forms to the total AChE pool was not affected by animal strain or diet.