Effect of fasting on vascular contractility in lean and obese Zucker rats.

We compared the effects of fasting (36 h) on blood pressure and aortic contractile responsiveness in lean and obese Zucker rats. Fasting of lean animals resulted in a significant loss in body weight (-9.1 +/- 0.1%) and reduction in systolic blood pressure (-11.4 +/- 1.9 mmHg). Fasting plasma triacylglycerols (-76%) and beta-hydroxybutryic acid (beta-HBA) (+ 218%) were significantly decreased and increased, respectively. The fasting plasma concentrations of insulin (-72%) were significantly decreased, whereas glucose and epinephrine (Epi) were not changed in lean rats. The fasting of obese rats also resulted in weight loss (-5.6 +/- 1.3%) but did not cause a significant reduction of blood pressure. The plasma total cholesterol (+18%) was increased, triacylglycerols (-42%) were decreased and beta-HBA levels were unchanged in fasted obese rats. Similar to lean animals, the insulin levels of fasted obese rats were significantly decreased (-85%), whereas glucose and Epi concentrations were not significantly changed. Fasting of lean animals had no effect on the maximal contractile response of aortae to high K(+) and phorbol 12, 13 dibutyrate (PDBu) but significantly reduced the response to norepinephrine (NE) (% reference: fed, 61.1 +/- 11.0; fasted, 45.6 +/- 4.5). In addition, the concentration for half-maximal response (ED(50)) to NE was increased in fasted lean rats (fed, 1.8+/-0.2 x 10(-8)M; fasted, 3.0+/-0.3 x 10(-8)M). By comparison, fasting of obese rats had no significant effect on the contractile response to K(+), NE, or PDBu. The results show that short-term food withdrawal induces significant changes in vascular contractile properties of lean but not obese rats. Because fasting-induced changes were variable depending on the agonist, the results further suggest that the mechanism did not involve a general loss or enhancement in functional status.

Short-term exposure to homocysteine depresses rat aortic contractility by an endothelium-dependent mechanism.

The effect of short-term exposure to homocysteine (Hcy) on the contractile characteristics of rat aortic tissue was assessed both in vitro and in vivo. The contractile response of Hcy-treated aortic rings in culture for 1 or 4 days was unchanged from control responses. By comparison, aortic rings from animals injected with Hcy showed marked attenuation of response compared with controls injected with saline, cysteine or methionine. The contractile response to K+ was decreased within 24 hours of Hcy injection, whereas the response to both K+ (-27%) and noradrenaline (-56%) was significantly decreased by 4 days. In contrast, the contractile response to phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate was not different between Hcy and control groups. Intimal rubbing completely restored the responsiveness of Hcy-treated tissue to K+ and noradrenaline. By comparison, L-NAME only partially restored contractile responsiveness, while the cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin had no effect on contractile attenuation induced by Hcy. Western blot analysis showed a 2-fold increase of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and a 3-fold increase in inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) protein expression in the aortic endothelial cells from Hcy-injected rats. The results indicate an early detectable effect of Hcy on the in vivo contractile properties of vascular smooth muscle. The effect is endothelium-mediated and may vary depending on the agonist studied. The mechanism is uncertain but appears to involve increased nitric oxide (NO) production. Finally, the data suggest that attenuation of contraction may not be due to a direct effect of Hcy but that the compound is modified or acts indirectly in vivo.

Regulation of glucose transport by angiotensin II and glucose in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells.

Glucose transport in response to angiotensin II (AII) was assessed in cultured vascular smooth muscle (VSM) cells by measuring the uptake of [3H]-2-deoxyglucose, a radiolabeled non-metabolizable glucose analog. Significant stimulation occurred by 2 hr of exposure with the maximum effect being observed between 6 and 8 hr. All effects were concentration dependent with a threshold response being detected at 0.1 nM. AII-stimulated transport was blocked by saralasin, an AII receptor antagonist, indicating that AII binding to a specific receptor is required for AII to elicit the transport response. AII-stimulated transport was also blocked when cells were incubated with cycloheximide for 6 hr, suggesting that protein synthesis is required for the long-term effects of AII on glucose transport. A specific protein synthesized in response to AII stimulation was the GLUT 1 glucose transporter as assessed by western blot analysis. Inhibition of protein kinase C (PKC) by bisindolylmaleimide and staurosporine did not affect VSM responsiveness to AII, suggesting that AII is capable of stimulating glucose transport through a PKC-independent mechanism; however, VSM responsiveness to AII did appear to be dependent upon the presence of extracellular calcium. The importance of calmodulin in mediating the response of VSM cells to AII was indicated by the inhibition of AII-stimulated glucose transport when VSM cells were incubated in the presence of the calmodulin inhibitors, calmidazolium and W7. Finally, glucose uptake increased with decreasing levels of glucose in the incubation medium. This was accompanied by a corresponding decrease in the relative effectiveness of AII in stimulating glucose uptake.

Increased expression of complement component C3 in the plasma of obese Zucker fa and LA/N fa(f) rats compared with their lean counterparts.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to determine whether there are differences in the electrophoretic profiles of plasma proteins from lean and obese rats and to identify a protein that was found to be more abundant in the plasma of obese rats. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Plasma proteins from lean and obese Zucker fa and LA/N fa(f) rats were separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The identity of a band that was differentially expressed was determined by amino acid sequencing and Western blot analysis. RESULTS: A band migrating approximately the same distance as the 116 kDa molecular weight marker was more prominent in plasma from obese rats than in plasma of lean rats. Partial sequencing of the peptide revealed that 17 of the first 18 amino acids at the amino terminus were identical with the corresponding residues in the alpha-chain of complement component C3. Western blot analysis confirmed the identity of the peptide as complement component C3. Complement C3 activity was measured using a hemolytic assay to determine whether there was a corresponding increase in the biological activity of this component in the serum of obese rats. Serum from obese rats was found to have 1.8 times as much complement component C3 activity as serum from lean rats. DISCUSSION: Elevated levels of complement C3 in genetically obese rats may be relevant because increased amounts of C3 could serve as a reservoir from which increased amounts of acylation stimulating protein, a cleavage product of complement C3, could be produced.

Platelet-derived growth factor mediates angiotensin II-induced DNA synthesis in vascular smooth muscle cells.

In order to elucidate the mechanism of angiotensin II (ANG II)-induced proliferation in vascular smooth muscle cells in culture, growth rates and 3H-thymidine incorporation into DNA in response to ANG II treatment were examined in cultured rat aortic smooth muscle cells. ANG II-treated and control cells were exposed to the ANG II receptor antagonists [Sar1, Val5, Ala8]-ANG II (Sar) and DUP753 and to antibody against platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF). In growing cells, ANG II acted as a moderate mitogen, inducing an increase in growth rate during the first two days of treatment. ANG II induced a marked increase in 3H-thymidine incorporation in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells. The effect was blocked by the ANG II inhibitors Sar and DUP753 and by the PDGF antibody. ANG II was able to stimulate vascular smooth muscle growth in cell culture. The effect seemed to be mediated, at least in part, by PDGF. These results are in agreement with a possible role of ANG II in promoting vascular growth in physiological and/or pathological situations.

Interactions between angiotensin II and adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate in the regulation of amino acid transport by vascular smooth muscle cells.

The regulation of amino acid transport by angiotensin II (AII) and cyclic AMP (cAMP) was assessed in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells, using a nonmetabolizable amino acid, alpha-[3H]aminoisobutyric acid (AIB). An exposure time in excess of 2 h was required for AII to elicit a stimulatory response, the magnitude of which increased in a time-dependent manner for 12 h. AII-induced transport was blocked by [1-sarcosine, 8-isoleucine]AII, a competitive inhibitor of AII binding. The effect of AII was not abolished by downregulation protein kinase C with phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate or by use of a protein kinase C inhibitor, suggesting that transport in response to AII can be mediated by a protein kinase C independent pathway. In contrast, the elimination of calcium from the incubation medium reduced AII-stimulated AIB uptake. The calmodulin inhibitor N-(6-aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-naphthalenesulfonamide partially inhibited AIB uptake in response to AII, suggesting that calmodulin may be involved in the modulation of AII-stimulated amino acid transport. AIB transport was also increased by elevating intracellular cAMP levels via beta-adrenergic receptor stimulation, the use of a cAMP analog (N6-monobutyryl cAMP), or a phosphodiesterase inhibitor (3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine) or by direct stimulation of adenylate cyclase with forskolin. cAMP-induced AIB transport was evident within 10 min and peaked within 1 h. At 1 h AII enhanced cAMP-stimulated AIB transport. A possible mechanism for this effect is suggested by the observation that AII potentiated cAMP production in response to isoproterenol and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine.

Morphological and contractile characteristics of rat aortae perfused for 3 or 6 days in vitro.

We studied the morphological and contractile characteristics of rat thoracic aortic segments perfused for 3 or 6 days under pulsatile conditions. Light microscopic examination of the segments revealed the presence of an unchanged tunica media. However, the intimal surface was mostly devoid of endothelial cells. The perfused aortic segments showed a dramatic increase in spontaneous tone when compared to fresh and sham-treated aortic segments. Maximum responses to potassium and norepinephrine were reduced after 3 days of perfusion (20-40% reduction), while maximum responses to 5-hydroxytryptamine and angiotensin II were not significantly different. After 6 days of perfusion, maximum responses to all agonist were reduced (50-60%). Sensitivity to norepinephrine was not affected by the treatment, while sensitivity to 5-hydroxytryptamine was reduced. The perfused aortic segments relaxed well in response to isoproterenol. Our system provides a useful experimental model for short-term studies of hypertension- and atherosclerosis-related vascular changes. Further refinement and characterization could improve the performance of the system for longer-term studies.

Hypertensive factor in different models of experimental hypertension.

A hypertensive factor (HF), isolated from rat erythrocytes, has been shown to stimulate in vitro calcium uptake in aortic rings and to elevate blood pressure when injected into normotensive rats. In the present study, we investigated tissue responsiveness to HF in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY), 2-kidney, 1-clip renovascular hypertensive rats and uninephrectomized rats that were given water or saline to drink or that were treated with DOCA and given water or saline to drink (DOCA-salt). Tissue responsiveness was determined by incubating aortic rings from the rats in the different groups with a constant amount of HF and measuring "lanthanum-resistant" calcium uptake. Tissue sensitivity to HF was greater in SHR than in WKY. In contrast, tissue sensitivity to HF was not enhanced in 2-kidney, 1-clip renovascular and DOCA-salt hypertensive rats relative to their appropriate controls. These results suggest that the increased tissue responsiveness to HF found in SHR is not universally associated with elevated blood pressure; increased tissue sensitivity seems to be a specific characteristic of genetic hypertension.

Effects of cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate on amino acid transport and incorporation into protein in the rat aorta.

To assess the effects of cyclic AMP on amino acid transport and incorporation into aortic tissue protein, rat aortic rings were incubated with the cyclic AMP analog, N6-monobutyryl cyclic AMP (MBcAMP), the phosphodiesterase inhibitor, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (MIX), and radiolabeled amino acids. Subsequently, the aortic rings were homogenized in 5% trichloroacetic acid (TCA) and processed for liquid scintillation counting. Radioactivity present in the TCA supernatant following centrifugation was used to estimate amino acid transport. TCA-precipitable radioactivity was used as a measure of amino acid incorporation into protein. MBcAMP induced an increase in the uptake of [3H]alpha-aminoisobutyric acid into aortic rings and an increase in the incorporation of radiolabeled proline and leucine into TCA-precipitable protein. Similar effects were observed with low concentrations of MIX (0.025-0.25 mM); however, at higher concentrations of MIX, there was an attenuation of the effect or frank inhibition. Maximum stimulation of transport was observed within 90-120 min of the addition of MIX or MBcAMP to the incubation medium, whereas the effect on amino acid incorporation was not detectable until after 12 h of exposure to MIX or MBcAMP. The effects of cyclic AMP on transport were observed in both the tunica media and the tunica adventitia, whereas the effects on amino acid incorporation into protein were observed only in the tunica media. These data are consistent with a possible role for cyclic AMP in promoting changes in the tunica media that could lead to the development of vascular hypertrophy.

Effect of dietary calcium on in vitro aortic tissue responsiveness to a hypertensive factor.

It has been proposed that calcium supplementation in the diet is associated with a reduction in blood pressure. In the present study, we investigated vascular tissue sensitivity to a hypertensive factor (HF) in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) fed a high calcium diet, a low calcium diet and a food restricted diet. HF, which has been isolated from erythrocytes, increases blood pressure when injected into normotensive rats and stimulates calcium uptake by aortic rings in vitro. Five-week-old rats were divided into the following groups: SHR and WKY fed a regular diet (1% calcium), SHR and WKY fed a high calcium diet (4% calcium), SHR and WKY fed a low calcium diet (0.02% calcium) and SHR and WKY fed a regular diet (1% calcium) in which food intake was restricted to 65% of ad libitum intake. Food intake, body weight, urine phosphate excretion and blood pressure development were followed for 8 weeks. At sacrifice, plasma levels of calcium and phosphate were determined. Tissue responsiveness to HF was calculated by incubating aortic rings from the rats in the different groups with HF and measuring lanthanum-resistant calcium uptake. A 4-fold increase in dietary calcium reduced blood pressure and tissue responsiveness to HF in SHR. Neither parameter was affected by the high calcium diet in WKY. The low calcium diet had no effect on either blood pressure or tissue responsiveness to HF in SHR or WKY. Restriction of food intake induced a reduction in blood pressure and in tissue responsiveness to HF in SHR. It did not affect the same parameters in WKY. The results suggest that the increased tissue responsiveness to HF in the SHR may be associated with high blood pressure.

Hypotensive properties of antibodies directed against an endogenous pressor peptide isolated from rat blood.

Hypertensive factor (HF), a compound isolated from the erythrocytes of rats and tentatively identified as a peptide, has been shown to influence tissue calcium metabolism and induce prolonged blood pressure elevation. In the present study, we investigated the biological properties of antibodies directed against this peptide. Partially purified antibody preparations significantly decreased HF stimulation of lanthanum-resistant calcium uptake in rat aortic tissue in vitro. Infusion of the antibody preparation into spontaneously hypertensive (SH) or normotensive Sprague-Dawley rats resulted in a rapid decline in mean blood pressure of 54 and 34 Torr (1 Torr = 133.332 Pa), respectively. In contrast, infusion of the serum immunoglobulin preparations from controls (unimmunized and ovalbumin-immunized rabbits) had no significant effect on the blood pressure of SH or normotensive rats. The systolic blood pressure of SH rats was reduced for at least 72 h following a single injection of the antibody preparations, whereas the blood pressure of normotensive rats had returned to normal levels within 24 h following antibody injection. The results indicate that the anti-HF antibody preparation antagonizes the stimulation of calcium uptake by the peptide and acutely lowers blood pressure in SH and normotensive rats.

Further investigation of a potential calcium channel modulator isolated from rat erythrocytes.

The contractile effects of a peptide isolated from rat erythrocytes were further studied in rat aortic rings. Previous data showed that preincubation of aortic tissue with the peptide had no effect on resting tension, but significantly enhanced K+ and norepinephrine (NE) induced contraction. The calcium channel antagonist verapamil noncompetitively blocked the effect of the peptide, whereas nifedipine blockage appeared to be competitive. In the present study the peptide enhanced K+, NE, and phenylephrine (PE) induced contraction in a concentration-dependent manner, with a maximum enhancement at peptide concentrations of 10(-7)-10(-6) M. At a concentration as low as 10(-9) M, the peptide significantly enhanced K(+)-induced, but not NE- or PE-induced, contraction. The magnitude of maximal enhancement was greater for K(+)-induced contraction than that for NE- or PE-induced contraction. Preincubation of the tissues with the peptide caused a leftward shift of cumulative concentration-response curves to K+ and NE. The peptide enhancement of contraction increased with increasing K+ and NE concentration. The peptide potentiated the contractile response to Ca2+ in K(+)-depolarizing medium. It also enhanced the contractile response to NE in intracellular Ca2(+)-pool-depleted tissue following the replenishment of extracellular Ca2+, but had no apparent effect on the mobilization of intracellular calcium. Addition of nifedipine caused a rightward shift of both the peptide and Bay K 8644 concentration-response curves.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

An endogenous 'hypertensive factor' enhances the voltage-dependent calcium current.

The effects of an immunoaffinity-purified putative endogenous hypertensive factor (HF) on voltage-dependent calcium current in frog cardiac myocytes were assessed. In 9 out of 10 cells, HF reversibly increased the peak amplitude of the calcium current. HF increased peak calcium current density at -5 mV from a control level of 1.8 +/- 1.3 pA/pF (mean +/- SD) to 4.4 +/- 2.0 pA/pF. HF shifted the peak of the calcium current-voltage relationship in the hyperpolarizing direction. HF shifted the voltage dependence of the inactivation of the calcium current to more negative potentials with prepulses from -80 to 0 mV, but the inactivation was not affected with prepulses more positive than 0 mV. Modulation of the voltage-dependent calcium current by HF may be the mechanism underlying its pressor effects.

Aortic cyclic AMP levels in hypertensive rats.

The levels of adenosine 3':5' cyclic monophosphate (cyclic AMP) were measured in aortae from 2-kidney, 1-clip renovascular hypertensive and DOCA-salt hypertensive rats. Cyclic AMP concentration and content were increased in the arteries from the hypertensive animals compared to their normotensive controls. There was a significant positive linear correlation between aortic cyclic AMP concentration and blood pressure and between aortic cyclic AMP content and blood pressure. Since cyclic AMP has been shown to be involved in cellular proliferation and protein synthesis, a perturbation in the normal functioning of this second messenger system could be related to some of the vascular changes associated with the hypertensive process.

Hypertensive factor: calcium stimulatory activity obtained from different tissues and animal species.

It was recently shown that a peptide (hypertensive factor, HF) isolated from erythrocyte hemolysates from spontaneously hypertensive rats induced a prolonged elevation of blood pressure in normotensive rats. In addition, the peptide produced a marked stimulation of the in vitro uptake of lanthanum-resistant calcium by the aortae and enhanced the contractile response of aortic rings to constrictor agents. The present report describes findings of calcium stimulatory activity, enhancement of contractile function, or pressor activity in extracts of homogenates from several tissues of the rat and from erythrocyte hemolysates of several mammalian species. Significant stimulation of calcium uptake in aortic rings was obtained with preparations from rat brain, liver, and kidney. The activity per weight of tissue was similar for brain and kidney (approximately 2 units/g), while liver exhibited somewhat higher concentrations (4 units/g). The diffusate of cardiac tissue did not significantly alter in vitro calcium uptake by aortae. The injection of the cardiac and liver diffusates into normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats produced slight (10 Torr) (1 Torr = 133.3Pa) and moderate (25 Torr) elevations of blood pressure, respectively. Finally, a peptide purified from homogenates of rat brain by the protocol developed for the purification of HF from erythrocytes was shown to significantly enhance the contractile response of aortic rings to K+ and norepinephrine. Diffusates of erythrocytes from the rat, rabbit, dog, and guinea pig each caused a significant stimulation of calcium uptake and contained approximately the same level of activity (500 units/L of whole blood). Diffusates prepared from outdated human erythrocytes had no significant effect on calcium uptake, whereas those of freshly drawn samples exhibited high levels of activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Bay K 8644-like contractile effects of a peptide isolated from spontaneously hypertensive rats.

The in vitro contractile effect of a peptide recently isolated from the blood of spontaneously hypertensive rats was assessed on rat aortic rings. Preincubation of aortic rings with the peptide had no effect on resting tension but significantly enhanced K+ or norepinephrine-induced contractile responses. Contractile effects were abolished by removal of extracellular calcium or by additions of the calcium channel antagonists, verapamil and nifedipine. The antagonism of peptide enhancement of contraction by verapamil was noncompetitive, whereas nifedipine blockade was competitive in nature. Moreover, preincubation of aortic rings with the peptide attenuated the contractile response to Bay K 8644, a newly described synthetic calcium channel agonist. We suggest that this peptide has similar effects to Bay K 8644 and may act as an endogenous modulator of voltage-dependent calcium channels.

An endogenous peptide that induces long-term blood pressure elevation.

A peptide was recently isolated from the blood of spontaneously hypertensive (SH) rats that stimulated an increase of calcium uptake by vascular tissue in vitro. In the present study normotensive rats were given nanomolar amounts of this peptide by intravenous or picomolar amounts by intracerebral injection and the effect on blood pressure was recorded. Injection of the peptide into the circulation had no significant effect on the elevation of blood pressure. By comparison, the injection of the compound into the third ventricle of the brain resulted in the elevation of blood pressure to hypertensive levels. The blood pressure response was characterized by a prolonged period of onset with maximal elevation observed several days after the beginning of treatment. Subsequently, the increase in blood pressure was well maintained with significant elevation noted days following the cessation of treatment.

An endogenous peptide that stimulates lanthanum-resistant calcium uptake in vascular tissue.

A recent report has described the preparation of an extract from hemolyzed erythrocytes that has a stimulatory effect on lanthanum-resistant calcium uptake by vascular tissue in vitro and a hypertensive effect when injected into normotensive rats. The compound having a stimulatory effect on calcium uptake was further fractionated by molecular sieve and ion exchange chromatography, precipitation with CaCl2, high voltage paper electrophoresis, and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). HPLC yielded only a single fraction containing biological activity. This fraction was ninhydrin positive and acid labile. The amino acid composition was as follows: Asp/Asn (1.41), Ser (1.02), Glu/Gly (1.00), and Gly (2.00). Based on the assumption that the compound contains a single glutamic acid or glutamine residue, concentration-response data indicated that only nanomolar amounts of material were necessary to achieve significant stimulation. There was a marked increase in stimulatory activity of the resolubilized compound following calcium precipitation. The compound became inactive or showed a reduction in activity after being applied to a cation exchange column to remove calcium. Subsequent reprecipitation with CaCl2 and resolubilization restored the lost activity. Thus, we conclude that the compound is a small, acidic, calcium-dependent peptide that is extremely potent in stimulating lanthanum-resistant calcium uptake in vascular tissue.

Spontaneous hypertension: a humoral component.

A hypertensive factor (HF) has been partially purified from the erythrocytes of spontaneously hypertensive rats. Injection of the factor produces a sustained elevation of the blood pressure of normotensive rats. The blood pressure response following intravenous injection of the factor is characterized by a prolonged period of onset with maximal elevation obtained several days following the beginning of treatment. Subsequently, the elevation of blood pressure is well maintained and may be observed days or weeks following the cessation of treatment. In addition to its pressor effects, the preparation stimulates an increase in the concentration of "lanthanum-resistant" calcium in aortae excised from normotensive or hypertensive rats. In contrast, the efflux of calcium from aortae in the presence of the factor is enhanced suggesting that the factor involved may induce a change in the lability and exchangeability of calcium stores in aortic tissue. Secondarily, the efflux data indicate that the increase in "lanthanum-resistant" calcium noted in aortae exposed to the erythrocyte extract is due to an increase in calcium uptake by the tissue as opposed to a decrease in the extrusion of the ion.

Stimulation of aortic tissue calcium uptake by an extract of spontaneously hypertensive rat erythrocytes possessing hypertensive properties.

In earlier reports we have described the isolation of a fraction from the erythrocytes of spontaneously hypertensive rats that produced hypertension when administered to normotensive rats. In addition, it was found that the fraction stimulated the uptake of "lanthanum-resistant" calcium by aortic rings excised from normotensive rats. In these studies we have found that the fraction causes a greater increase in the in vitro uptake of calcium by aortic tissue than that produced by depolarization of the tissue with high K+ or the receptor-mediated influx of calcium induced with norepinephrine. The hypertensive fraction appeared to be more effective in promoting increased calcium uptake in rabbit than in rat aortic tissue, suggesting that significant differences in tissue sensitivity to the active compound(s) may exist between species. In addition, we obtained evidence indicating that the tissue sensitivity to the action of the hypertensive fraction was greater in aortae from spontaneously hypertensive rats than from those of normotensive animals. Attempts to block the action of the hypertensive fraction with verapamil, nifedipine, and sodium nitroprusside had no significant effect on the elevation in tissue calcium. It was found, however, that the action of the hypertensive fraction was temperature dependent with reduced activity at lower temperatures. The data suggest that a compound(s) is present in the erythrocytes of rats that may have a marked effect on vascular tissue metabolism of calcium.