Effect of beta-aminopropionitrile on the static elastic properties and blood pressure of spontaneously hypertensive rats.

The static elastic properties of the aorta ad systolic blood pressure in the caudal artery have been measured in 55 spontaneously hypertensive rats of the AS strain. Animals were divided into five groups and treated from the age of 4 to 12 weeks as follows: (1) 0.25 mm silver clip positioned around the right renal artery; (2) renal artery clipped as group (1) followed by daily injection of beta-aminopropionitrile fumarate (beta-APN); (3) daly injection of beta-APN without clipping; (4) daily injection of 0.09% saline; (5) untreated. Mean systolic blood pressures at 12 weeks of age were Group (1) 21.8; Group (2) 16.2; Group (3) 17.0; Group (4) 18.0; Group (5) 17.5 (units kPa). Thus, administration of beta-APN prevents the development of renal hypertension in clipped animals while producing no significant alteration in animals with intact renal arteries. At pressures within the physiological range the functional distensibility of all the treated animals was greater than that of the controls (pressure strain elastic modulus significantly lower). Similar changes were observed in the variation of structural distensibility (incremental elastic modulus) with pressure. At any level of total strain greater than 0.7 the incremental elastic modulus of both groups of animals treated with beta-APN was significantly less than control values. These observations are consistent with reports in the literature that administration of beta-APN causes a reduction in either the amount of cross-linked or normal scleroprotein in the aorta.