AMPK activity is increased in salt-induced hypertension. (A) Mean arterial blood pressure in Dahl SS rats fed a 0.4% (n = 4), 4% (n = 3), or 8% (n = 5) NaCl diet measured with DSI telemetry. Sodium (B) and potassium (C) urinary excretion (mM/mg of creatinine) before and after diet challenge (n = 5 in each group). (D) Western blot of kidney cortex lysates isolated from the animals on 0.4 and 8% diets. Samples were tested for expression of phosphorylated acetyl-CoA carboxylase (pACC) and AMPKα levels as indicators of AMPK pathway activity. (E) Summary graph of pThr172-AMPKα, p-ACC and AMPKα abundances, along with β-actin as a loading control (*p < 0.05 vs. 0.4% NaCl for each parameter, unpaired t-tests, n = 3).