High-salt Diets During Pregnancy Affected Renal Vascular Tone Via Soluble Guanylyl Cyclase Pathways In Rat Offspring

Objective: To study on the effect of high salt diets during pregnancy on the potassium channel of smooth muscle cel s from interlobar renal arteries in the offspring.Methods: Pregnant SD rats were fed either normal(NS, 1% Na C l) or high salt(HS, 8% Na Cl) diets for whole gestation. Smooth muscle cells from interlobar renal arteries in offspring were tested for whole-cell K+ currents and BK currents. The effect of s GC activator on BK channels were studied. The expressions of associated moleculesuch as BKα, β1, s GCβ1, β2 and PKGα were tested by western blot.Results: Compared with the control group, the whole-cell K+ currents and the component of large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+(BK)channels were not changed in smooth muscle cells from interlobar renal arteries in the HS offspring, whereas the K+ currents stimulated by s GC activator BAY41-2272 were reduced. There was no significant difference in expression of protein of BK channel α- and β1-subunits, PKGα between the control and HS offspring. But the expressions of s GC β1 and β2 were altered.Conclusion: The results showed that chronic over- intake of salt during pregnancy could down regulate s GC, suppress BK channels activated by s GC /PKG pathway, and affect renal vascular tone in the offspring, which might influence renal and cardiovascular system and therefore contribute to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases in later life.