Composition of connective tissues and morphometry of vascular smooth muscle in arterial wall of DOCA-salt hypertensive rats – In relation with arterial remodeling

Hypertension (HT) was induced in Wistar rats aged 16 and 48 weeks by a deoxycortico-sterone acetate (DOCA)-salt procedure. Common carotid arteries were resected 16 weeks after, and their histological specimens were selectively stained for observations of collagen, elastin, and vascular smooth muscle (VSM) cells. Then, the fractions of collagen and elastin and their radial distributions, and the size and number of VSM cells were determined with an image analyzer. These results were compared with the results from age-matched, non-treated, normotensive (NT) animals and also with those from our previous biomechanical studies.In both age groups, there were no significant differences in the fractions of collagen and elastin, and the ratio of collagen to elastin content between HT and NT arteries. These results correspond well with our previous biomechanical results, which showed no significant difference in wall elasticity between HT and NT vessels. Moreover, in the innermost layer out of 4 layers bordered with thick elastic lamellae, the fraction of collagen was significantly greater in HT arteries than in NT ones, which is attributable to HT-related stress concentration in the layer. VSM cells were significantly hypertrophied and their content was increased by HT, although their total number in the media remained unchanged. The increased size and content of cells correspond to the enhancement of vascular tone and contractility in HT arteries.