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

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Abstract
The static elastic properties of the aorta and 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 β-aminopropionitrile fumarate (β-APN); (3) daily injection of β-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 β-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 β-APN was significantly less than control values. These observations are consistent with reports in the literature that administration of β-APN causes a reduction in either the amount of cross-linked or normal scleroprotein in the aorta.