Establishing a Standardized Renal Artery Ligation Procedure for Hypertension in Syrian Golden Hamsters

Summary

This study established and optimized a partial renal artery ligation model in Syrian hamsters (2K1C), which stably induces RAS-related secondary hypertension in a background of hyperlipidemia, providing a highly reproducible platform for cardiovascular research.

Abstract

Hypertension is considered a major global health threat, which​ can lead to severe complications, including vascular remodeling, heart failure, myocardial infarction, and end-stage renal disease. Syrian golden hamsters, a model with naturally expressing cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP), are susceptible to diet-induced hyperlipidemia. To establish a reliable and reproducible hamster model for studying the relationship between renal artery stenosis (RAS), secondary hypertension, and cardiovascular disease, the two-kidney, one-clip (2K1C) Goldblatt model was employed. This study details a refined surgical procedure for inducing RAS in Syrian golden hamsters via partial renal artery ligation, emphasizing critical factors such as surgical isolation technique and ligature material selection, which significantly impact outcomes. Implementation of this standardized surgical protocol resulted in approximately 90% of treated hamsters exhibiting a consistent systolic blood pressure elevation of 25–30 mmHg. This optimized renal artery ligation procedure provides a robust method for generating a hypertensive hamster model with high consistency, enhanced reproducibility, and utility for cardiovascular disease research.

Introduction

Renal artery stenosis (RAS) is a leading cause of secondary hypertension and constitutes a significant risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity¹. A primary challenge in clinical research is the difficulty in delineating the causal pathway connecting dyslipidemia, hypertension, and end-organ damage, as comorbidities and concurrent medications frequently confound patient studies. This underscores the critical need for an animal model that accurately recapitulates this complex pathophysiology in a controlled, reproducible experimental setting.

The two-kidney, one-clip (2K1C) Goldblatt model is a well-established method ....

Protocol

The animal protocols were approved by the laboratory animal ethics committee of Jiangmen International Health Innovation Institute (N2023008) and Peking University (DLASBE0730). Male Syrian golden hamsters, 10–12 weeks of age, were used for the experiment. The details of the reagents and equipment used were listed in the Table of Materials.

1. Preoperative preparation

1. Feed the animals a normal chow diet and provide clear water under standard conditions (temperature 21–24 °C, humidity 40%–60%, 12-h light-dark cycle).
2. Sterilize all surgical instruments and material....

Results

In this study, these hamsters were randomly divided into two groups: 8 in the sham surgery group and 11 in the surgical group. All data are presented as means ± standard deviations unless otherwise stated. The approximate operative time was 20–25 min per animal. There were no intraoperative deaths, and the survival rate within 9 weeks of surgery was 100%. 2 weeks after surgery, noninvasive blood pressure was measured. The surgery, with or without ligation, had a lesser effect on appetite, and body weight in both groups s.......

Discussion

The two-kidney, one-clip (2K1C) model is a classic animal model in renal vascular hypertension research. With historical roots dating back to the last century, it effectively simulates the pathogenesis of human renovascular hypertension. The underlying mechanism involves renal artery stenosis-induced ischemia, which activates the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), ultimately leading to systemic hypertension. This model not only closely mirrors the pathological progression of human hypertension but also offers significant ad.......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
0.37 wire diameter suture	Johnson & Johnson MedTech, China	JH-18-5100
6-0 Polypropylene suture	Yangzhou Huanyu Medical Equipment Co., Ltd., China	N/A
Animal anesthesia machine	Midmark Corporation, USA	V2330299
Carprofen	Macklin, China	C830557-5g
Cholesterol Assay Kit	Zhongsheng Beikong, China	100000180
Color Doppler ultrasound system	Mindray Medical, China	Resona8
Glucose Assay Kit	Zhongsheng Beikong, China	100000240
High-density lipoprotein cholesterol assay kit	Zhongsheng Beikong, China	100020235
LDLR KO Syrian golden hamster	Peking University, China	N/A
Muromachi MK-2000ST Non-Invasive Blood Pressure Monitor for Mice & Rats	Muromachi Kikai Co., Ltd., Japan	140305MU
Pet heating pad	Meitai, China	DXT30*35-1X
Rat Renin ELISA kit	Covide, China	KWD-E7398R-B
Suture needle	Johnson & Johnson MedTech, China	JH-18-5037
Triglyceride Assay Kit	Zhongsheng Beikong, China	100000220
Vertical pressure steam sterilizer	Yamato Scientific, Japan	J3170372