Table 2 Causative factors for changes in vascular structure

From: Vascular structural and functional changes: their association with causality in hypertension: models, remodeling and relevance

Mechanism

Evidence

References

Sympathetic nervous system

 Sympathetic activity increased in large proportion of human hypertensive patients

89

 

 Tachycardia present in pre-hypertensive SHR was good predictor of eventual BP outcome

90

 

 Higher innervation density in cerebral arteries of SHR vs. WKY 1 day after birth

93

 

 Higher innervation density in mesenteric arteries of SHR vs. WKY 10 days after birth

93

 

 Neonatal sympthectomy prevented hypertension development and structural/functional changes in mesenteric arteries of SHR

93

 

 Neonatal treatment with capsaicin prevented hypertension in SHR

101

Renin–angiotensin System

 Ang II infusion induced hypertension development and increased medial area of mesenteric vessels

179

 

 Ang II infusion caused changes in mesenteric artery and aorta PVAT function

13

 

 Ang II infusion caused structural and functional changes in mesenteric arteries that are associated with hypertension development and cardiac hypertrophy

13

 

 ACE inhibitor treatment of SHR before and after birth prevented hypertension development and cardiac hypertrophy

50

 

 ACE inhibitor treatment in SHR prevented medial wall hypertrophy and an increase in SMC layers in mesenteric arteries through induction of SMC apoptosis

106, 115, 116

 

 AT1 receptor antagonist treatment lowered BP and decreased wall thickness in mesenteric arteries but did not lower BP permanently

106

 

 ACE inhibitor treatment caused production of Ang-(1–7) and accumulation of bradykinin

109

 

 Infusion of Ang-(1–7) lowered BP in SHR

111, 112

 

 Treatment with epalapril in young SHR prevents further development of vascular hypertrophy of renal vessels

117

 

 Treatment of enalapril in adult SHR reversed vascular hypertrophy in mesenteric arteries and some large renal vessels

116

DNA synthesis/apoptosis

 Newborn SHR superior and large mesenteric arteries are similar to WKY suggesting structural changes occur after birth through differentiation of myofibroblasts or proliferation of SMC

76

 

 Autoradiographic studies show higher large mesenteric artery SMC labeling in SHR than WKY after 1 week post birth, but similar in older age groups

77

 

 At 6 weeks when SHR BP becomes higher than WKY, higher labeling in SHR SMC found in aorta, renal artery, femoral artery

78

 

 1–2 week SHR have lower incidence of apoptotic SMC than WKY

79

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