Dietary
lipids are reported to affect the blood pressure in both humans and experimental animal models with
hypertension. In the present study, 2-kidney, 1-clip (2K1C) hypertensive rats were treated with the modified
fatty acid tetradecylthioacetic acid (TTA) from the time of clipping or after
hypertension was established. TTA treatment attenuated the development of
hypertension and reduced established 2K1C
hypertension. The
mRNA level of
renin in the clipped kidney and the plasma
renin activity were markedly reduced, and the plasma
angiotensin II level tended to decrease after TTA treatment. In addition, TTA reduced the
mRNA level of
angiotensinogen in white adipose tissue. Prevention of organ damage was demonstrated by normal urinary excretion of
protein, maintained
serum albumin, lower heart weight, and clearly reduced vascular, glomerular, and tubulointerstitial damage in the nonclipped kidney. Renal function was not affected as estimated by unchanged plasma
creatinine. Furthermore, the serum levels of
triacylglycerol and
cholesterol were reduced by TTA. The serum
fatty acid composition was changed, resulting in a favorable increase of
oleic acid. However, the levels of all of the
omega-3 fatty acids and of
linoleic acid were reduced, and no change was seen in the level of
arachidonic acid, but the urinary excretion of 8-iso-prostaglandin F2alpha was declined. In conclusion, TTA attenuated the development of
hypertension, reduced established
hypertension, and prevented the development of organ damage in 2K1C rats, possibly by reducing the amounts of the
vasoconstrictors angiotensin II and 8-iso-prostaglandin F2alpha and by inducing a favorable increase of
oleic acid in serum.