Why is [Ca2+]i increased in blood cells in primary hypertension?

In order to explore a previously observed association between raised blood cell cytosolic calcium [Ca2+]i and primary hypertension, resting levels of [Ca2+]i in the Milan hypertensive rat strain (MHS) were measured. The [Ca2+]i was increased significantly at 7 weeks in MHS (116 +/- 8 versus 93 +/- 6 mumol/l, P < 0.005, n = 7) and non-significantly at 5 weeks (109 +/- 7 versus 85 +/- 9 mumol/l, n = 5). In Okamoto-Aoki spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHR), calcium fluxes were measured with Quin 2 in platelets and lymphocytes. Calcium influx was measured during calcium-pump inhibition either with vanadate or ATP-depletion. Influx was increased in vanadate-treated (but not in ATP-depleted) cells of SHR. This suggests an ATP dependence of calcium influx in blood cells which is more pronounced in SHR. Calcium efflux was determined when the influx was stopped by external EGTA. Calcium efflux was [Ca2+]i-dependent and was moderately increased in SHR. The faster efflux in SHR was due to higher [Ca2+]i. The [Ca2+]i-dependency of calcium efflux was comparable in SHR and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. These results suggest that a slight but significant rise of cytosolic calcium occurs in blood cells in primary hypertension. In Okamoto-Aoki SHR this rise was due to a higher calcium entry rate.