Erythrocyte filterability inspontaneously hypertensive rats and its relation to hypertensive course and hemodynamics

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Hypertension is a common disease which induces arterial angiopathy impairing various functions of vital organs such as heart, brain and kidneys. Although elevation of blood pressure is considered to be due to an increase of peripheral vascular resistance, the role of vasoconstriction on rheological blood properties, especially on erythrocyte deformability is unknown. Spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) is a popular and excellent model of human hypertension. In the present study, we investigated the role of erythrocyte deformability in SHR in relation to the development and maintenance of high blood pressure, using the nickel mesh filtration technique. In this quantitative, sensitive and reproducible technique, erythrocyte deformability is considered as erythrocyte filterability. Age-matched Wistar rats were used as a control. We found that erythrocyte filterability was gradually impaired according to the aging of SHR, i.e., erythrocyte filterability was 56.3 ± 0.7% in 7 week-old, 50.3 ± 0.3% in 13 week-old and 49.3 ± 0.3% in 18 week-old. On the other hand, erythrocyte filterability in control rats was 61.9 ± 2.0% in 7 week-old and 56.1 ± 2.1% in 13 week-old. Therefore, impairment of erythrocyte filterability relative to control rat was evident more in young SHR. This indicates vasoconstriction under the development of hypertension in young SHR induces mechanical stress on circulating intact erythrocytes which causes inhibition of filterability and deformability of erythrocytes and this may further impairs microcirculation and lead to the maintenance of hypertension.