Renal nerves are not necessary for onset or maintenance of DOC-salt hypertension in rats.

The effect of renal denervation on the onset and maintenance of mineralocorticoid-salt [deoxycorticosterone (DOC)-salt] hypertension was determined. A unilateral right nephrectomy was performed on all rats. Rats were divided into renal-denervated and sham-operated groups. All rats received 10 mg/wk of DOC pivalate and 0.9% saline to drink ad libitum. Renal denervation was repeated at 3-wk intervals to prevent renal nerve regeneration. Renal denervation had no effect on the onset or maintenance of DOC-salt hypertension. Hypertension developed over the same time course in both the renal-denervated and sham-operated rats regardless of the time frame of unilateral nephrectomy and renal denervation. Tail-cuff pressure measurements reached plateau levels of 187 +/- 5.7 mmHg in sham-operated and 183 +/- 4.6 mmHg in renal-denervated rats after 4 wk of DOC-salt administration. Mean arterial pressure averaged 197 +/- 10.3 mmHg in sham-operated and 200 +/- 7.9 mmHg in renal-denervated rats after 8 wk of treatment. Intact renal nerves are not necessary for the development or maintenance of DOC-salt hypertension in rats.