Antioxidant Treatment Reverts Increased Arterial Basal Tone and Oxidative Stress in Nephrectomized (5/6) Hypertensive Rats

Nonischemic 5/6 nephrectomized rat (NefR) is a model of chronic kidney disease. However, little is known about vascular dysfunction and its relation with hypertension in NefR. Aims. To evaluate possible alterations of endothelial function, NO-bioavailability, and basal tone in aorta from NefR and the role of oxidative stress. Sprague Dawley rats were divided into sham rats (SR), NefR, and NefR treated with tempol (NefR-T). Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and renal function were determined. In isolated aortic rings the following was measured: 1-endothelial function, 2-basal tone, 3-NO levels, 4-membrane potential (MP), and 5-oxidative stress. NefR increased MAP (SR: 119 ± 4 mmHg; n = 7; NefR: 169 ± 6; n = 8; P < 0.001). Tempol did not modify MAP (NefR-T: 168 ± 10; n = 6; P < 0.001). NefR showed endothelial dysfunction, increased basal tone and decreased NO levels (SR: 32 ± 2 nA; n = 7, NefR: 10 ± 2; n = 8; P < 0.001). In both in vitro and in vivo tempol improves basal tone, NO levels, and MP. Oxidative stress in NefR was reverted in NefR-T. We described, for the first time, that aorta from NefR presented increased basal tone related to endothelial dysfunction and decreased NO-bioavailability. The fact that tempol improves NO-contents and basal tone, without decrease MAP, indicates that oxidative stress could be implicated early and independently to hypertension, in the vascular alterations.