Two-Kidney, Two Clip Renovascular Hypertensive Rats Can Be Used as Stroke-prone Rats

Background and Purpose—The cerebrovascular lesions in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats are not only dependent on high blood pressure but partly related to pressure-independent genetic factors. The aim of the present study was to observe whether spontaneous stroke occurred in renovascular hypertensive rats without a genetic deficiency. Methods—The 1-kidney, 1 clip (1k1c); 2-kidney, 1 clip (2k1c); and 2-kidney, 2 clip (2k2c) methods were used to induce hypertension in male Sprague-Dawley rats with a ring-shaped silver clip. Sham-operated rats were used as controls. Blood pressure and neurological symptoms were observed in the rats without any artificial inducement. Brain sections stained with hematoxylin-eosin and phosphotungstic acid–hematoxylin were examined under a microscope to determine stroke foci. Results—The attack rate of stable hypertension was 100% (55/55) in the 2k2c group, which was significantly higher than that in the 1k1c (23/30, 76.7%) and 2k1c (21/30, 70%) groups (P<0.01). None...