An assessment of the role of the sympathetic nervous system in experimental hypertension using normal and immunosympathectomized rats.

1. The role of the sympathetic nervous system in experimental hypertension and associated changes in aortic sodium and potassium was studied using normal and immunosympathectomized Sprague-Dawley rats.2. A single injection of antiserum to nerve-growth factor to rats at birth produced less intensive destruction of the peripheral sympathetic system than did two injections (one daily for 2 days). The former are referred to as "partial" immunosympathectomized and the latter as "total" immunosympathectomized rats.3. Maintenance of rats on 1% sodium chloride after unilateral nephrectomy and implantation of 40 mg desoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) pellets resulted in sustained DOCA-NaCl hypertension in both normal and "partial" immunosympathectomized rats but not in "total" immunosympathectomized rats. Hypertension was associated with an increase in aortic sodium.4. Constriction of one renal artery with contralateral nephrectomy caused sustained hypertension and an increase in aortic sodium in normal and "partial" immunosympathectomized rats. Renal hypertension in "total" immunosympathectomized rats was not sustained.5. It is concluded that a certain minimum control of the cardiovascular system by the sympathetic system is essential for the production of experimental hypertension and associated electrolyte changes.