EFFECT OF LOW PROTEIN DIET ON CARDIAC HYPERTROPHIC PROCESS OF SPONTANEOUSLY HYPERTENSIVE RATS

This experiment was designed to clarify the effect of low protein diet on cardiac hypertrophy using spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) as an experimental model. Sixteen SHRs were divided into two groups randomly and fed with 23% protein containing diet and 5 % protein containing diet respectively for 120 days. No definite difference of systolic blood pressure was recorded between two groups during the whole experimental period. The wet left ventricular weight of SHRs fed with low protein diet was significantly lighter than that of SHRs fed with normal protein diet. However, the average values of the left ventricular to body weight ratio were not statistically different between both groups because of poor attainment of body weight in the group fed with low protein diet. Cardiac cell diameter of the SHRs fed with low protein diet was significantly smaller than that of SHRs fed with normal protein diet. Electron microscopically, the cardiac cells of the group fed with normal protein diet showed hypertrophic findings, while more pronounced degenerative findings in the group fed with low protein diet. It is considered that during the process of cardiac hypertrophy the lack of sufficient amount of dietary protein could disturb the process of cardiac hypertrophy, leading to rather earlier myocardial degenerative changes and consequently to the development of cardiac dysfunction.