Influence of dietary iron intake restriction on the development of hypertension in weanling prehypertensive rats

AbstractHypertension is a major public health problem leading to death. To reduce the morbidity and mortality in patients with hypertension, it is crucial to develop a novel strategy for prevention of hypertension. We have currently reported an attempt at dietary iron intake restriction as non-pharmacological treatment of hypertension in patients with hypertension. However, it remains fully unknown whether dietary iron restriction prevents the development of hypertension. We investigated the influence of dietary iron restriction on the development of hypertension in weanling pre-hypertensive model rats. 3-week-old male stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR-SP) were randomly divided into two groups and were given an ad libitum normal diet or an iron-restricted diet for 12  weeks. Blood pressure was progressively increased in SHR-SP according to growth, while dietary iron restriction attenuated the development of hypertension. Proteinuria was also increased in SHR-SP according to growth, whereas dietary iron restriction suppressed the increment of proteinuria. SHR-SP exhibited glomerulosclerosis and exacerbated renal interstitial fibrosis at 15 weeks old, indicating that SHR-SP developed hypertensive nephropathy in the adult stage; however, these changes were attenuated by dietary iron restriction. Gelatin zymography showed dietary iron restriction decreased b oth renal MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities in SHR-SP at 15 weeks old. Of interest, dietary iron restriction su...
Source: Heart and Vessels - Category: Cardiology Source Type: research