Effects of angiotensin II receptor antagonist on remodeling of renal arterioles in hypertension

AIM: To investigate the effects of angiotensin II receptor antagonist on remodeling of renal arterioles in hypertension. METHODS: Eighteen 4 weeks old male rats were divided into three groups: Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) for normotensive group, and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) for hypertensive group, and SHR treated with losartan orally (15 mg·kg^-1·d^-1). The rats were raised to 16 weeks old. The morphometric parameters of the renal arterioles, and the widths of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) and intercellular space were studied on kidney slices by light microscope and electromicroscope respectively, combined with computer-assistant image analysis system. The minimal renal vascular resistance (RVR_min) was studied by isolated kidney perfusion system. RESULTS: The systolic blood pressure of the tail artery, wall thickness, wall area, ratio of wall thickness to inner diameter, width of VSMC of renal arterioles and RVR_min were all smaller or lower in losartan group than those of SHR.