Preferential renal tubular injury and increased renal sympathetic activity occur during the early stages of DOCA ‐salt hypertension in male rats

Figures

• 

  FIGURE 1. Cardiovascular and autonomic function in DOCA‐Salt rats after 3 and 5 weeks of DOCA‐Salt treatment. Values are presented as mean ± SD; p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Two‐way ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc test. UNx, control group; DOCA, hypertensive group. (a) MAP, mean arterial pressure; (b) HR, heart rate; (c) rSNA, renal sympathetic nerve activity; (d) maximum response of rSNA (spikes/s); and (e) percentage of rSNA maximum response based on baseline values. (N = 5‐6/group).

• 

  FIGURE 2. Baroreflex Sensitivity of Renal Sympathetic Nerve Activity in DOCA‐Salt rats. (a) 3 weeks of induction; (b) 5 weeks of induction. Upper panel, curve of baroreflex function, evaluated by variation of rSNA for every 5 mmHg of MAP reduction induced by continuous infusion of sodium nitroprusside; Bottom panel, curve of baroreflex function, evaluated by variation of rSNA for every 5 mmHg of MAP increase induced by continuous infusion of phenylephrine. rSNA, renal sympathetic nerve activity; MAP, mean arterial pressure; spikes/s, spikes per second. Values are presented as mean ± SD; p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Two‐way ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc test. UNx, control; DOCA, hypertensive. (N = 3–6/group).

• 

  FIGURE 3. LDH and GGT activity, total protein, creatinine, and urea urinary levels in DOCA‐salt‐induced hypertensive rats at 3 and 5 weeks. (a) LDH, (b) GGT, (c) total protein, (d) creatinine, and (e) urea. Values are presented as mean ± SD; p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Two‐way ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc test. UNx, control; DOCA, hypertensive. LDH, lactate dehydrogenase; GGT, gamma‐glutamyl transferase. (N = 4–6/group).

• 

  FIGURE 4. Levels of EGF, Cystatin C, ß2M, AGP, Lipocalin‐2/NGAL and Albumin urinary in DOCA‐salt hypertensive rats at 3 and 5 weeks of treatment. (a) EGF, (b) Cystatin C, (c) ß2M, (d) AGP, (e) Lipocalin‐2/NGAL and (f) Albumin. Values are presented as mean ± SD; p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Two‐way ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc test. UNx, control; DOCA, hypertensive. EGF, epidermal growth factor; Cystatin C, cystatin C; ß2M, beta 2 microglobulin; AGP, alpha‐1 acid glycoprotein; Lipocalin‐2/NGAL, neutrophil gelatinase‐associated lipocalin 2 and Albumin, albumin. (N = 4–6/group).

• 

  FIGURE 5. Glomerular and mesangial analysis in longitudinal sections stained with periodic acid‐Schiff (PAS) to glomerular cellularity, Bowman's capsule space area, mesangial expansion, percentage of tuft area, and total glomerular area. Scale bars, 50 μm. (a) Glomerular cellularity (b), Bowman's capsule space (c), mesangial expansion, (d) percentage glomerular tuft area (e) total glomerular area, and (f) representative images. Values are presented as mean ± SD; p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Two‐way ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc test. UNx, control; DOCA, hypertensive. (N = 12–15/group).

• 

  FIGURE 6. Evaluation of changes in tubules in longitudinal sections stained with periodic acid‐Schiff (PAS) to tubular epithelial cell height, number of interstitial cells, total tubular cells, and tubular (intra‐tubular) area. Scale bars, 100 μm. (a) tubular epithelial cell height, (b) interstitial cells, (c) total tubular cells, (d) tubular (intra‐tubular) area, and (e) representative images. Values are presented as mean ± SD; p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Two‐way ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc test. UNx, control; DOCA, hypertensive; NC, negative control (kidney collected on the day of nephrectomy). (N = 12–15/group).