Primate response to angiotensin infusion and high sodium intake differ by sodium lithium countertransport phenotype.

An increased level of sodium-lithium countertransport (SLC) activity has been associated with salt-sensitive hypertension. Previous findings have suggested that dysregulation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) may be involved in the mechanism linking elevated SLC activity and hypertension. Therefore, baboons with different levels of SLC activity were given two diets differing in sodium content, with and without an angiotensin II (ANG II) infusion, to investigate the relationship between SLC activity, the RAAS, and physiological regulation by sodium. Although we anticipated that high SLC activity would be associated with inappropriate function of the RAAS and greater arterial pressure sensitivity to dietary sodium and ANG II and that low SLC activity would be associated with the least BP sensitivity, we found that the low SLC phenotype correlated with BP sensitivity similar to the high SLC phenotype, and the normal SLC phenotype showed the least BP sensitivity to dietary sodium and ANG II.