Lack of Effects of Maternal Salt Intake on Blood Pressure of Offspring in Dahl Salt-Sensitive Rats

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Abstract
Inbred Dahl salt sensitive (S/JR) and salt resistant (R/JR) rats were used to look for effects of varying maternal intake of salt (NaCl) on the blood pressure of the offspring. Neither the blood pressure at weaning nor the blood pressure response to postweaning high salt diet of S/JR or R/JR rat pups was affected whether their mothers had eaten high salt (8% NaCl) or low salt (0.15% NaCl) diet during gestation. Similarly, maternal salt intake during lactation had no effect on the blood pressure of the offspring at weaning or the blood pressure response to salt feeding after weaning. Na+ was higher and K+ was lower in milk of S/JR compared to R/JR mothers during the last half of the lactation period, but dietary salt intake did not influence milk Na+ or K+. Previous cross-fostering experiments show that this strain difference in milk electrolytes does not influence S pups blood pressure. It is concluded that neither maternal salt intake nor the existing changes in milk Na+ have any influence on the blood pressure of Dahl salt sensitive rat pups in contrast to the marked effects of salt intake in these rats after weaning.