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(Hypertension. 2005;45:754.)
© 2005 American Heart Association, Inc.

Original Articles

Renal Denervation Abolishes Hypertension in Low-Birth-Weight Offspring From Pregnant Rats With Reduced Uterine Perfusion

From the Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Center for Excellence in Cardiovascular–Renal Research, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson.

Correspondence to Barbara T. Alexander, PhD, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State St, Jackson, MS 39216-4505. E-mail balexander{at}physiology.umsmed.edu

Low birth weight is a risk factor for the subsequent development of hypertension in humans. We previously reported that reduced uterine perfusion in the pregnant rat results in growth-restricted offspring predisposed to the development of hypertension. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the sympathetic nervous system plays a role in mediating hypertension in this model of low birth weight. Weight at birth was significantly decreased in male growth-restricted offspring (5.9±0.1 grams) as compared with male control offspring (6.5±0.2 grams; P<0.05). At 10 weeks of age, growth-restricted offspring and control offspring were randomly assigned to either an intact group (sham-denervated) or a group subjected to bilateral renal denervation. For sham-denervated offspring, mean arterial pressure was significantly elevated in growth-restricted offspring (145±4 mm Hg; n=7) as compared with control offspring (134±3 mm Hg; P<0.05; n=9) at 12 weeks of age. Bilateral renal denervation resulted in a marked reduction in arterial pressure in growth-restricted offspring (125±3 mm Hg; P<0.01; difference of 20 mm Hg versus sham growth-restricted; n=8) but no significant decrease in control offspring (127±3 mm Hg; difference of 7 mm Hg versus sham control; n=9). Adequacy of renal denervation was verified by >90% reduction in renal norepinephrine content. Therefore, these findings indicate the renal nerves play an important role in mediating hypertension in adult growth-restricted offspring.

Key Words: hypertension, pregnancy • rats • renal nerves • denervation • sympathetic nervous system

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