SALT-INDUCED HYPERTENSION IMPAIRS OSMOTIC FRAGILITY, HEMORHEOLOGICAL FACTORS, AND ANGIOGENESIS IN MALE WISTAR RATS
Abstract
Plasma tonicity plays a vital role in the regulation and maintenance of erythrocytes' structural, behavioral and functional composition. When the cellular environment is hypotonic, there is a tendency for red blood cell lysis. Erythrocyte osmotic fragility is used to evaluate the rate of lysis in erythrocytes in living tissues. Hemorheology deals with blood flow mechanics in relation to the blood plasma composition and its formed elements. This is usually presented as the blood viscosity, which is inversely proportional to the flow rate of blood and tissue perfusion. The vascular endothelium produces vascular endothelial growth factor which plays a vital role in angiogenesis and helps regulate blood flow and vascular resistance. Alterations in blood viscosity can alter blood flow rate, tissue perfusion, and angiogenesis. This can result in metabolic disorders and hypertension. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of salt-induced hypertensive impairment on osmotic fragility, hemorheological factors, and angiogenesis in male wistar rats.
A total of 15 male Wistar rats (150g-180g)) were obtained, acclimatized for 14 days, and distributed into three groups of five animals per group was used for this study. The groups are: Negative Control (Zero salt in diet); Positive Control (Normal salt diet i.e 0.3% salt); and high salt diet (8% salt) = HSD group. A high-salt diet was developed by adding 8-g table salt to 92-g rat feed. The animals were kept for 4 weeks with access to developed rations for each group and water ad libitum. Osmotic fragility was measured using a spectrophotometer. Systolic/Diastolic Blood Pressure (SBP/DBP), Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP), Heart Rate (HR), and flow rate (FR) were measured using the tail cuff method, blood viscosity was calculated using the standard method, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was determined using ELISA. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA, and the level of significance was determined at p<0.05.
There was an increase (p<0.05) rate of erythrocyte hemolysis in the HSD group compared with the negative and positive control groups. There was also an increase (p<0.05) in the systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure and heart rate in the HSD group, indicating salt-induced hypertension. There was a reported increase in the hematocrit, platelet estimates, and fibrinogen concentrations, which contributed to the increased blood viscosity and decreased flow rate as well as tissue perfusion (p<0.05) when the HSD group was compared with the positive and negative control groups. There was a significant decrease in the vascular endothelial growth factor in the HSD group compared to the negative and positive control groups.
The findings of this study reveal the rate of red blood cell hemolysis, hemorheological disturbance, and vascular endothelial impairment in male Wistar rats exposed to high salt dietary intake.
Keywords:
Hemerheology, High salt diet, Hypertension, Angiogenesis, ViscosityDownloads
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Copyright (c) 2025 Okonofua, David Ehikhuemen, Omodiagbe, Omoiyebagbe , Edwin, Edna Ekeleoseya
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