Increased incorporation of 14C-lysine into vascular proteins of the spontaneously hypertensive rat

The incorporation of ¹⁴C-lysine into heart and vascular proteins of the spontaneously rat (SHR) was compared with that in control animals at different ages. Prior to the development of hypertension (33 days of age), the incorporation rate of lysine into non-collagen proteins of the mesenteric arteries was approximately 2 times greater in the SHR than in normotensive strains. The incorporation rate was similar in the heart, aorta and liver of SHR at this age. The increased incorporation of lysine into the non-collagen proteins persisted at 13 weeks and 15 months of age. As a result of hypertension, the hypertrophy of the he art was reflected in increased lysine incorporation in adult animals and specific differences in heart actomysoin synthesis were observed. In the aorta and mesenteric arteries, elastin as well as other cellular proteins are responsible for the incrrporation. It is suggested that increased protein synthesis in the small vessels of the genetically hypertensive rats may be one of the pathogenic factors in this type of hypertension.