Protective Effects of Dinitrosyl Iron Complexes under Oxidative Stress in the Heart

Background. Nitric oxide can successfully compete with oxygen for sites of electron-transport chain in conditions of myocardial hypoxia. These features may prevent excessive oxidative stress occurring in cardiomyocytes during sudden hypoxia-reoxygenation. Aim. To study the action of the potent stable NO donor dinitrosyl iron complex with glutathione (Oxacom®) on the recovery of myocardial contractile function and Ca2+ transients in cardiomyocytes during hypoxia-reoxygenation. Results. The isolated rat hearts were subjected to 30 min hypoxia followed by 30 min reoxygenation. The presence of 30 nM Oxacom in hypoxic perfusate reduced myocardial contracture and improved recovery of left ventricular developed pressure partly due to elimination of cardiac arrhythmias. The same Oxacom concentration limited reactive oxygen species generation in hypoxic cardiomyocytes and increased the viability of isolated cardiomyocytes during hypoxia from 12 to 52% and after reoxygenation from 0 to 40%. Oxacom prevented hypoxia-induced elevation of diastolic Ca2+ level and eliminated Ca2+ transport alterations manifested by slow Ca2+ removal from the sarcoplasm and delay in cardiomyocyte relaxation. Conclusion. The potent stable NO donor preserved cardiomyocyte integrity and improved functional recovery at hypoxia-reoxygenation both in the isolated heart and in cardiomyocytes mainly due to preservation of Ca2+ transport. Oxacom demonstrates potential for cardioprotection during hypoxia-reoxygenation

Reduced preprandial dipping accounts for rapid elevation of blood pressure and renal sympathetic nerve activity in rabbits fed a high-fat diet

Consumption of a high-fat diet (HFD) by rabbits results in increased blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), and renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) within 1 wk. Here, we determined how early this activation occurred and whether it was related to changes in cardiovascular and neural 24-h rhythms. Rabbits were meal-fed a HFD for 3&thinsp;wks, then a normal-fat diet (NFD) for 1 wk. BP, HR, and RSNA were measured daily in the home cage via implanted telemeters. Baseline BP, HR, and RSNA over 24&thinsp;h were 71&thinsp;&plusmn;&thinsp;1&thinsp;mm Hg, 205&thinsp;&plusmn;&thinsp;4 beats/min and 7&thinsp;&plusmn;&thinsp;1 normalized units (nu). The 24-h pattern was entrained to the feeding cycle and values increased from preprandial minimum to postprandial maximum by 4&thinsp;&plusmn;&thinsp;1&thinsp;mm Hg, 51&thinsp;&plusmn;&thinsp;6 beats/min, and 1.6&thinsp;&plusmn;&thinsp;.6 nu each day. Feeding of a HFD markedly diminished the preprandial dip after 2&thinsp;d (79&ndash;125% of control; p&thinsp;&lt;&thinsp;0.05) and this reduction lasted for 3&thinsp;wks of HFD. Twenty-four-hour BP, HR, and RSNA concurrently increased by 2%, 18%, and 22%, respectively. Loss of preprandial dipping accounted for all of the BP increase and 50% of the RSNA increase over 3&thinsp;wks and the 24-h rhythm became entrained to the light-dark cycle. Resumption of a NFD did not alter the BP preprandial dip. Thus, elevated BP induced by a HFD and mediated by increased sympathetic nerve activity results from a reduction in preprandial dipping, from the first day. Increased calories, glucose, insulin, and leptin may account for early changes, whereas long-term loss of dipping may be related to increased sensitivity of sympathetic pathways.<br /

Metyrapone and fluoxetine suppress enduring behavioral but not cardiac effects of subchronic stress in rats

In humans, chronic stressors have long been recognized as potential causes for cardiac dysregulation. Despite this, the underlying mechanistic links responsible for this association are still poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to determine whether exposure to a paradigm of subchronic stress can provoke enduring changes on the heart rate of experimental rats and, if so, to reveal the autonomic and neural mechanisms that mediate these effects. The study was conducted on adult male Sprague-Dawley rats instrumented for telemetric recording of heart rate and locomotor activity. Animals were submitted to a subchronic stress protocol, consisting of a 1-h foot shock session on five consecutive days. Heart rate and locomotor activity were recorded continuously for 3 days before and for 6 days after the subchronic stress period. Subchronic foot shock produced significant and enduring reduction in heart rate both during the dark/active [Δ= −23 ± 3 beats per minute (bpm)] and light/inactive (Δ= −20 ± 3 bpm) phases of the circadian cycle, and a reduction in locomotor activity during the dark/active phase [Δ= −54 ± 6 counts per hour (cph)]. The bradycardic effect of subchronic stress was not related to a reduced locomotion. Selective sympathetic (atenolol) and vagal (methyl-scopolamine) blockades were performed to reveal which autonomic component was responsible for this effect. We found that the fall in heart rate persisted after subchronic stress in animals treated with atenolol (active phase Δ= −16 ± 3 bpm, inactive phase Δ= −19 ± 2 bpm), whereas vagal blockade with scopolamine transiently prevented this effect, suggesting that the bradycardia following subchronic stress was predominantly vagally mediated. Fluoxetine (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) and metyrapone (inhibitor of corticosterone synthesis) treatments did not affect heart rate changes but prevented the reduction in locomotion. We conclude that subchronic stress exposure in rats reduces heart rate via a rebound in vagal activation and that this effect is serotonin- and corticosterone-independent

Stimulation of angiotensin type 1A receptors on catecholaminergic cells contributes to angiotensin-dependent hypertension

Hypertension contributes to multiple forms of cardiovascular disease and thus morbidity and mortality. The mechanisms inducing hypertension remain unclear although the involvement of homeostatic systems, such as the renin-angiotensin and sympathetic nervous systems, is established. A pivotal role of the angiotensin type 1 receptor in the proximal tubule of the kidney for the development of experimental hypertension is established. Yet, other systems are involved. This study tests whether the expression of angiotensin type 1A receptors in catecholaminergic cells contributes to hypertension development. Using a Cre-lox approach, we deleted the angiotensin type 1A receptor from all catecholaminergic cells. This deletion did not alter basal metabolism or blood pressure but delayed the onset of angiotensin-dependent hypertension and reduced the maximal response. Cardiac hypertrophy was also reduced. The knockout mice showed attenuated activation of the sympathetic nervous system during angiotensin II infusion as measured by spectral analysis of the blood pressure. Increased reactive oxygen species production was observed in forebrain regions, including the subfornical organ, of the knockout mouse but was markedly reduced in the rostral ventrolateral medulla. These studies demonstrate that stimulation of the angiotensin type 1A receptor on catecholaminergic cells is required for the full development of angiotensin-dependent hypertension and support an important role for the sympathetic nervous system in this model

Linear regression coefficient (b), 95% CI and p-value of baseline predictors of the RoR and BP_Power as natural log (ln) from a univariate and multivariate analysis of 409 subjects.

<p>Linear regression coefficient (b), 95% CI and p-value of baseline predictors of the RoR and BP_Power as natural log (ln) from a univariate and multivariate analysis of 409 subjects.</p

Linear regression coefficient (b), 95% CI and p-value of baseline predictors of the change in natural log (ln) RoR and BP_power between first follow-up and baseline visits from a univariate and multivariate ANCOVA analysis of recordings from 213

#<p>Also adjusted for baseline ln ROR and time between visits,</p>∧<p>Also adjusted for baseline ln BP_power and time between visits.</p

Correlations between post awake 2(MAP) (left panels) and post awake 2 hours minus pre awake 2 hours (right panels) and plasma levels of cholesterol (top), low density lipoprotein (LDL, middle) and high density lipoprotein (HDL) from subjects (n = 307).

<p>Thick line represents least squares regression lines and thin lines are 99% confidence limits. r is the correlation co-efficient and P is the probability.</p