Cardiac lipoprotein lipase in the spontaneously hypertensive rat

OBJECTIVE: The objectives of the present study were to determine functional (i.e., heparin-releasable) and intracellular (i.e., heparin-non-releasable) cardiac lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity during the development of hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats. METHODS: Male WKY and SHR rats were killed before (7-8 weeks of age) and following (15-16 weeks of age) the development of severe hypertension in SHR rats. LPL activity in coronary perfusates was determined by retrogradely perfusing the hearts with heparin (5 U/ml). Cardiac myocytes were also isolated from the two groups of rats by collagenase digestion, and surface-bound and intracellular LPL activity measured. RESULTS: With the development of hypertension in SHR rats, there was a concomitant and progressive reduction in the heparin-releasable coronary endothelial LPL activity. Neither insulin action nor cell-associated enzyme activity could explain this low LPL activity in coronary blood vessels. However, acute vasodilation with nifedipine (a Ca2+ influx blocker) or CGS-21680 (A2-purinergic receptor agonist) increased the peak heparin-releasable LPL activity in hearts isolated from SHR rats. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that hypertension per se may play a significant role in regulating cardiac LPL activity, and hence fatty acid supply to the hypertensive SHR rat heart.