Binding of [ 3H]nitrendipine to cardiac and cerebral membranes from normotensive and renal, deoxycorticosterone/NaCl and spontaneously hypertensive rats

The properties of [ 3H]nitrendipine binding to cardiac and cerebral membranes from normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and renal (RHR), deoxycorticosterone/NaCl (DOCA-HR) and spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats were investigated. The maximal numbers of binding sites (B max) in the striatum, thalamus and hippocampus for SHR increased by 21.4–40.0, 28.1–40.4 and 21.4–34.1% of the numbers in WKY, but the apparent dissociation constants (K D) in the cerebral membranes differed very little between WKY and SHR. In the cardiac membranes, K D and B max values differed very little between WKY and SHR. In the RHR and DOCA-HR, the B max values in the striatum, thalamus and hippocampus were similar to those of WKY. These findings suggest that the increase in B max of [ 3H]nitrendipine in the striatum, thalamus and hippocampus of SHR may play a part in the development and maintenance of high blood pressure in SHR.