Increased turnover of arterial collagen in hypertensive rats.

Abstract

The turnover of total collagen in several tissues of 12 wk old normotensive and hypertensive rats was estimated by using 3H-labeled proline as a precursor. The effect of reutilization of the label was minimized by treatment with large doses of unlabeled proline subsequent to administering the radioactive amino acid. The collagen from skin, tail tendon, aorta and mesenteric artery in normotensive animals had a half-life of about 60-70 days. In hypertensive animals the half-lives of skin and tail tendon collagen were unchanged, but the half-life of collagen in the aorta and mesenteric artery 1 was reduced to 17 days.