Development of Hypertension and Cardiovascular-Renal Lesions During Adrenal Regeneration in the Rat.

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Abstract
Weanling female, unilaterally-nephrectomized rats were maintained on laboratory chow and 1% saline. One half served as controls while right adrenalectomy and left adrenal-enucleation were performed on the other half. Body weight, saline consumption and blood pressure were followed weekly. Half the rats in each group were sacrificed at 7 and 14 weeks, respectively. At no time did the saline consumption or serum electrolytes of the adrenal-enucleated rats significantly differ from control values. Despite this, hypertension developed in the adrenal-enucleated rats which persisted up to 14 weeks. Adrenal-enucleated rats developed renal, cardiac and cerebral enlargement and thymic atrophy at 7 weeks and the adrenals had regenerated to the same relative weight as both adrenals of the controls. In the adrenal-enucleated rats killed after 14 weeks renal and cardiac hypertrophy were also present although less marked but cerebral enlargement and thymic atrophy were not observed. Regenerated adrenals were significantly smaller than both adrenals in the controls. In the enucleated rats fibrinoid vascular necrosis in the kidney, heart, brain, adrenals, pancreas, mesentery and ovaries was found. After 14 weeks the lesions were less severe and less extensive than at 7 weeks. Adreno-cortical hyperfunction accompanies adrenal regeneration and in suitably sensitized rats has as its natural consequence the production of hypertension and cardiovascular-renal lesions.