ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the change of connexin (Cx) in mesenteric artery (MA) and aorta of spontaneously hyper‐tensive rats (SHR) and normotensive rats .Methods Quantitative RT‐PCR and Werstern blot technique were used to compare the difference in the expression of Cx37 and Cx40 mRNA and protein in MA and aorta of SHR and normotensive rats .Results The level of Cx37 mRNA expression in MA from SHR was decreased compared with that of the normotensive rats (P0 .05) .The expression of Cx37 protein in MA from SHR was decreased compared with that of the normotensive rats (P0 .05) . Conclusion Hypertension may could decrease gap junctional communication in cells of MA and aorta from SHR by the downregu‐lation of the expression of Cx37 and/or Cx40 .