Increased vascular collagen biosynthesis by hypertension and reversal by antihypertensive drugs.

Collagen synthesis was increased in aortas, mesenteric arteries, cerebral microvessels, pial artery, basilar artery and decreased in the heart of rats made hypertensive with deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt or the spontaneously hypertensive animal. The markers of collagen biosynthesis that were elevated were prolyl hydroxylase, prolyl hydroxylase-related antigen, total collagen content and the incorporation of labelled proline into total protein and into collagen. The antihypertensive drugs reserpine and chlorthiazide could both prevent the increase or reduce the increase in collagen synthesis.