[Blood pressure salt sensitivity in male offspring rats is programmed by perinatal high-salt diet].

Objective To investigate the gender differences in perinatal high-salt diet programming of blood pressure and salt sensitivity in offspring Sprague-Dawley rats and explore the mechanisms.Methods The rats were fed with high-salt diet(8% NaCl) or normal salt diet(1% NaCl) during the perinatal period.Body weight changes were monitored,and blood pressure and heart rate were measured by non-invasive tail-cuff methods in both male and female offspring rats.The components of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system(RAAS) in both the serum and brain tissue,and hormones related with stress reaction were detected using radioimmunology methods.Results Perinatal high-salt diet did not affect adolescent blood pressure in both genders,but significantly increased salt sensitivity in male offspring rats.Perinatal high-salt diet also increased serum angiotensin II(ANG II) while decreased corticotropin-releasing hormone(CRH) and cortisol in male offsprings,as compared with the normal salt diet group.No similar results were found in the female offspring rats.Conclusion There is a significant gender difference in perinatal high-salt diet programming of offspring blood pressure salt sensitivity,and the mechanisms may involve the disturbance of the RAAS function and stress reaction.