Spontaneous, renal and triiodothyronine-induced hypertension in rats: Common traits of cell energy metabolism disturbances

The contents of adenylate nucleotides (ATP, ADP and AMP), phosphocreatine ( PCr) and creatine (Cr) were determined in the heart, liver, spleen and skel etal muscle of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), rats with renal hyper tension and rats with triioclothyronine - induced hypertension. Normotensiv e WKY rats served as the controls. In all models of hypertension, varying i ntensity changes in the tissue energy status were detected in the studied o rgans. These changes included adenine nucleotide redistribution leading to a decrease in their pool (Sigma AN= ATP+ADP+AMP), the ATP/ADP ratio and ene rgy charge in the heart and liver (SigmaC= (ATP+0,5ADP)/Sigma AN). The PCr content decreased significantly in the heart and, to a lesser extent, in th e skeletal muscle. These changes coincided with reduction in the total crea tine content (Sigma Cr=PCr+Cr) of the heart, skeletal muscle and liver of h ypertensive rats. The results of the study indicate that the balance of ene rgy production and consumption is impaired in the tissues of hypertensive r ats, suggesting impaired energy substitution at the cellular lever. Cell en ergy metabolism disturbances may result from mitochondrial dysfunction, the causes of which are different in different hypertension models.