High Resolution23Na-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Study of Stroke-Prone Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat Erythrocytes

The intracellular Na+ content of washed erythrocytes from stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP) and Wistar-Kyoto normotensive rats (WKY) was measured by a high resolution 23Na-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique using a non-permeant aqueous shift reagent, dysprosium triethylenetetramine hexaacetic acid, Dy(TTHA)3-. The initial intracellular Na+ of freshly isolated and washed erythrocytes was very low (approximately 5 mmol/l) and increased progressively with prolonged incubation in isotonic salt solution at 37 degrees C. There was no significant difference in the erythrocyte Na+ concentration between SHRSP and WKY over the entire period of measurement, nor was any difference detected in their osmotic fragility or total cellular volume, although the osmotic fragility decreased with incubation time. The high energy phosphate metabolites were also studied in the same erythrocytes by 31P-NMR. The level of intracellular ATP decreased with incubation at 37 degrees C but showed no difference between the SHRSP and WKY samples. Inclusion of 1 mmol/l ouabain in the incubation medium substantially retarded the breakdown of intracellular ATP and resulted in a concomitant increase in intracellular Na+. However, neither the ouabain-sensitive nor the ouabain-insensitive component of Na+ influx altered in SHRSP erythrocytes compared with WKY erythrocytes in paired experiments. Our results do not support the hypothesis that altered Na+ transport, resulting in an increase in erythrocyte Na+ concentration, is associated with spontaneous hypertension.