Renal gene expression analysis of rat malignant hypertensive end-organ damage

Severe forms of hypertension are characterized by high blood pressure combined with end-organ damage. Through the development and refinement of a transgenic rat model of malignant hypertension (MH) incorporating the mouse renin gene, we previously identified a quantitative trait locus (QTL) on chromosome 10, which affects malignant hypertension severity and morbidity. We next generated an inducible MH model where the timing, severity and duration of hypertension was placed under the control of the researcher, allowing development of and recovery from end-organ damage to be investigated. We have now generated novel consomic Lewis (L) and Fischer (F) rat strains with inducible hypertension, and additional strains, which are reciprocally congenic for the refined chromosome 10 QTL – FL (Fischer with a Lewis congenic region and LF (Lewis with a Fischer congenic region). We have captured a modifier of end-organ damage within the QTL and, using a range of bioinformatic, biochemical and molecular biological techniques, have identified Angiotensin converting enzyme (Ace) as the modifier of tissue microvascular injury. This SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below. 48 samples: 4 strains (F, L, FL, LF) x 3 time points (0, 7, 10 day induction) x 4 biological replicates each