Abstract P291: High Fat Diet Promotes Hypertension and Vascular Remodeling but Not Vascular Fibrosis or Altered Contractility in Dahl Salt Sensitive Rats

Obesity associated hypertension in rodent models is commonly associated with altered vascular reactivity to sympathetic neurotransmitters and inflammation-induced vascular remodeling/fibrosis. Dahl salt-sensitive (SS) rats exhibit elevated sympathetic activity and vascular remodeling. We hypothesized that diet-induced obesity in Dahl SS rats would promote hypertension, vascular dysfunction and remodeling/fibrosis. Male Dahl SS rats were placed on high fat diet (HFD, 60% kcal from fat with final concentrations of 0.33% NaCl and 1% K+, n=5) or normal-fat diet (NFD; 10% kcal from fat, 0.24% NaCl, 0.36% K+, n=5) for 24-26 weeks after weaning (3 weeks of age). Compared with NFD rats, HFD rats displayed severe hypertension (MAP, 165±4 mmHg vs 133±6 mmHg, P<0.05), higher body-weight (470±6g vs 433±7g, P<0.05), and hyperlipidemia (cholesterol, 211±22 mg/dl vs 138±23 mg/dl, P=0.05). HFD rats did not show significant changes in plasma levels of fasting glucose (85±5 mg/dl vs 75±5 mg/dl), insulin (2.6±0.8 ng/ml vs 2...