Alloxan-induced diabetes in young vs old spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR)

Young and old, male and female, spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), were subjected to severe alloxan diabetes. Young and old diabetic SHR became emaciated with reduced heart weights and blood pressure. SHR developed progressively worsening hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia with age. Diabetic old SHR were unable to mobilize glucose or lipid, i.e., trigycerides, free fatty acids, or total cholesterol, as effectively as their younger counterparts. BUN levels were lower in older SHR and even lower in diabetic old SHR. Older SHR secreted supranormal quantities of corticosterone; young SHR secreted subnormal quantities. Old, diabetic SHR developed extensive myocardial fibrosis, cerebral edema, gonadal atrophy and extensive intimal hyalin fibrosis of the gonadal arteries, and calcification of the medium-sized testicular arteries. The genetic programming of hypertension in SHR may affect the variety of degenerative changes which develop in young vs old SHR during severe diabetes.