Acceleration of renal disease in obese SHR by exacerbation of hypertension.

1. Obese SHR have lower blood pressures than lean littermates on ad libitum diets of standard rat chow and develop spontaneous progressive kidney disease with marked proteinuria, whereas lean SHR have only mild proteinuria. 2. On a high-salt diet, obese SHR show dramatic elevations in blood pressure accompanied by accelerated renal disease and mortality. Lean SHR are also salt sensitive but to a lesser degree. 3. Weight cycling elevates blood pressure in obese SHR to levels comparable to lean SHR littermates. This elevation in blood pressure is accompanied by an exacerbation of kidney disease relative to age-matched controls. 4. Ganglionic blockade reversed the elevation in blood pressure in obese SHR elicited by either high-salt diet or weight cycling. Therefore, excess sympathetic nervous activity contributes to the impact of these hypertensive stimuli. 5. Exacerbation of hypertension accelerates renal disease in obese SHR.