The Effect of DOCA-salt Model without Nephrectomy on Blood Pressure, Heart and Kidney Functions

Objective: Hypertension is one of the common cardiovascular diseases in which many factors play a role in its development. The deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt model is an experimental model that is widely used in the investigation of the pathogenesis of essential hypertension. Although this model can successfully mimic essential hypertension in humans, both the rate and magnitude of blood pressure increase with unilateral nephrectomy does not fully reflects the clinical situation in most hypertensive patients. In this study, it was investigated the effects of prolonged administration of DOCA-salt without nephrectomy on blood pressure, body weight, heart and kidney functions of rats. atrium and left papillary muscle tissues were isolated from rats. Isoprenaline, phenylephrine and acethylcholine-induced rhythmic activity and contractions of tissues were recorded in organ bath. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine levels were measured in plasma samples. Results: 12 weeks DOCA-salt administration without nephrectomy were significantly elevated systolic blood pressure of rats. The DOCA-salt application did not cause a decrease in the body weight of the rats. While the right atrium was not affeced to acethylcholine; the phenylephrine-induced alpha adrenergic receptor mediated contractile responses were increased and the isoprenaline-induced beta adrenergic receptor-mediated contractile responses were decreased in hypertensive rats. The DOCA-salt administration increased plasma BUN and creatinine levels of rats. Conclusion: These findings suggest that 12 weeks DOCA-salt administration without nephrectomy caused cardiac and renal changes associated with hypertension and could be used in hypertension studies as a noninvasive animal model.