Norepinephrine turnover in the heart and blood vessels of Goldblatt hypertensive rats.

The norepinephrine (NE) content, the uptake of [3H]NE, the turnover time, the turnover and the synthesis rate of the neurotransmitter in the heart and blood vessels were studied in the chronic phase of two kidney and one kidney Goldblatt renovascular hypertension, in the rat. Intact and sham operated animals were used as controls. Fifty percent of the rats subjected to renal clipping developed hypertension. This fact allowed us to compare changes in clip operated hypertensive and normotensive animals. The weight of the hearts and blood vessels was significantly increased in clip operated rats. Changes were greater in hypertensive animals. NE concentration and total content in the heart and in the artery wall were significantly decreased in the clipped rats. [3H]NE uptake was significantly diminished in the heart of experimental animals; in the artery wall, uptake was much lower than in the heart but no differences were observed between clip operated and sham animals. The turnover of NE was not different among control and clip operated rats either in the heart or in the blood vessels. Synthesis rate was lower in hypertensive animals than in their respective controls, explaining the lower concentration of the amine in cardiovascular tissues. The present data do not suggest that an increased turnover of NE in the cardiovascular sympathetic nerve endings is involved in the maintenance of high blood pressure in both types of Goldblatt renovascular hypertension.