Ruzena Sotnikova

Rosmarinic acid administration attenuates diabetes-induced vascular dysfunction of the rat aorta

Oxidative stress as well as inflammation processes are engaged in diabetic vascular complications. Rosmarinic acid, a natural phenol antioxidant carboxylic acid, was found to have multiple biological activity, including anti‐inflammatory and antitumour effects, which are a consequence of its inhibition of the inflammatory processes and of reactive oxygen species scavenging. The aim of this work was to study effects of rosmarinic acid administration on vascular impairment induced by experimental diabetes in rats.

Ultrastructure and histochemistry of rat myocardial capillary endothelial cells in response to diabetes and hypertension.

ABSTRACTInsufficient growth and rarefaction of capillaries, followed by endothelial dysfunction may represent one of the most critical mechanisms involved in heart damage. In this study we examined histochemical and ultrastructural changes in myocardial capillary endothelium in two models of heart failure streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus (STZ) and NO-deficient hypertension in male Wistar rats. Diabetes was induced by a single i.v. dose of STZ (45 mg/kg) and chronic 9-week stage was analysed. To induce NO-deficient hypertension, animals were treated with inhibitor of NO synthase L-nitroarginine methylester (L-NAME) (40 mg/kg) for 4 weeks. Left ventricular tissue was processed for enzyme catalytic histochemistry of capillary alkaline phosphatase (AlPh), dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV), and endothelial NO synthase/NADPH-diaphorase (NOS) and for ultrastructural analysis. In diabetic and hypertensive rats, lower/absent AlPh and DPP IV activities were found in focal micro-areas. NOS activity was significantly reduced and persisted only locally. Quantitative evaluation demonstrated reduction of reaction product intensity of AlPh, DPP and NOS by 49.50%, 74.36%, 20.05% in diabetic and 62.93%, 82.71%, 37.65% in hypertensive rats. Subcellular alterations of endothelial cells were found in heart of both groups suggesting injury of capillary function as well as compensatory processes. Endothelial injury was more significant in diabetic animals, in contrast the adaptation was more evident in hypertensive ones. Concluding: both STZ-induced diabetes- and NO-deficient hypertension-related cardiomyopathy were accompanied by similar features of structural remodelling of cardiac capillary network manifested as angiogenesis and angiopathy. The latter was however, predominant and may accelerate disappearance of capillary endothelium contributing to myocardial dysfunction.

Efficacy of quercetin derivatives in prevention of ulcerative colitis in rats

Abstract Reactive oxygen species has been implicated to contribute significantly to tissue injury associated with ulcerative colitis. Thus compounds with antioxidant properties could be potential therapeutic agents in this disease. Flavonoid compounds are known to possess antioxidative and antiinflammatory properties. Two derivatives of the flavonoid quercetin (Q), chloronaphthoquinone quercetin (CNC) and monochloropivaloyl quercetin (MCP), showed improved antioxidant properties and moreover, they efficiently inhibited aldose reductase activity in vitro. The aim of the work was to test the potential efficacy of quercetin and these synthetic derivatives in vivo in prevention of intestinal inflammation during ulcerative colitis in rats. Colitis was induced by intracolonic administration of acetic acid (4% solution). The control group received the same volume of saline. The vehicle dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and the drugs Q, CNC or MCP were administered orally two hours and then one hour before the acetic acid or saline instillation. After 48 hours, the animals were sacrificed and the colon was weighed, measured and scored for visible damage. Acetic acid triggered an intense inflammatory response of the colon, characterised by haemorrhage, ulceration and bowel wall thickening. From the drugs tested, only CNC (2 × 50 mg/kg) effectively depressed inflammatory damage of the colon. The mechanism of this beneficial effect remains to be elucidated.

2-Chloro-1,4-naphthoquinone derivative of quercetin as an inhibitor of aldose reductase and anti-inflammatory agent

Abstract The ability of flavonoids to affect multiple key pathways of glucose toxicity, as well as to attenuate inflammation has been well documented. In this study, the inhibition of rat lens aldose reductase by 3,7-di-hydroxy-2-[4-(2-chloro-1,4-naphthoquinone-3-yloxy)-3-hydroxy-phenyl]-5-hydroxy-chromen-4-one (compound 1), was studied in greater detail in comparison with the parent quercetin (compound 2). The inhibition activity of 1, characterized by IC50 in low micromolar range, surpassed that of 2. Selectivity in relation to the closely related rat kidney aldehyde reductase was evaluated. At organ level in isolated rat lenses incubated in the presence of high glucose, compound 1 significantly inhibited accumulation of sorbitol in a concentration-dependent manner, which indicated that 1 was readily taken up by the eye lens cells and interfered with cytosolic aldose reductase. In addition, compound 1 provided macroscopic protection of colonic mucosa in experimental colitis in rats. At pharmacologically active concentrations, compound 1 and one of its potential metabolite 2-chloro-3-hydroxy-[1,4]-naphthoquinone (compound 3) did not affect osmotic fragility of red blood cells.

Effects of a Long-Term Treatment with an Antioxidant Pyridoindole on Vascular Responsiveness in Diabetes-Induced Aging Rats

Impaired vascular reactivity is a hallmark of cardiovascular diseases induced by diabetes, which is also an accelerated aging model. This study was designed to investigate the effect of chronic treatment of stobadine, a pyridoindole antioxidant, on vascular responsiveness in diabetic animals. Age- (13-week old) and gender-matched Wistar rats were randomly divided into control and diabetic groups. Streptozotocin (55mg/kg, i.p.) was used to induce experimental diabetes. After induction of diabetes, rats were randomly assigned for receving stobadine (24.7 mg/kg/day, p.o.) or vehicle for 8-10 months. Stobadine treatment significantly reduced the severity of hyperglycemia, heart and kidney weights, systolic blood pressure, and attenuated diabetes-induced loss in body weight gain. Increased vasoconstriction responses to phenylephrine (PE; 10(-8)-10(-5) M) and BayK-8644 (3x10(-7)-3x10(-5) M) were significantly decreased by stobadine treatment in diabetes. Although stobadine treatment increased acetylcholine (ACh; 10(-9)-10(-5) M)-induced relaxation responses, sodium nitroprusside (10(-11)-10(-6) M)-induced relaxations were not affected by the treatment or diabetes. Stobadine treatment markedly reduced A23187 (10(-9)-3x10(-6) M)-induced relaxation responses while it remained unchanged in diabetics compared to controls. The transient vasoconstriction to PE was reduced by cyclopiazonic acid (10(-6) M) or thapsigargin (TH; 10(-6) M) in all groups. TH also inhibited the relaxation to ACh (3x10(-6) M) in control and stobadine-treated diabetic groups. These results suggest that antioxidative and Ca(2+) current regulatory effects of stobadine, contribute to the mechanisms responsible for its beneficial effects in aged diabetic rats.

Reactivity of the mesenteric bed arteries of normotensive rats exposed to chronic social stress.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of chronic social stress on endothelium-dependent relaxation in the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and its first branches (1MA) as well as on neurogenic contractions of SMA in adult, male Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. Mesenteric arteries were isolated from control (living space: 480 cm(2)/rat) or stressed rats exposed to 8-week-lasting crowding stress (living space: 200 cm(2)/rat). Blood pressure (BP) and heart rate, determined by tail-cuff plethysmography, were not affected by crowding. Stress increased neurogenic contractions of SMA elicited by electrical stimulation of perivascular nerves and significantly elevated vasoconstriction induced by exogenous noradrenaline in SMA, without modulation of its endothelial function. In 1MA, nitric oxide (NO)-dependent component of endothelium-dependent relaxation to acetylcholine was investigated. In 1MA, stress failed to affect noradrenaline- and phenylephrine-induced vasoconstriction, total acetylcholine-induced relaxation as well as its NO-dependent and NO-independent components. Moreover, endothelium-independent sodium nitroprusside-induced relaxations of 1MA from the stressed rats did not differ from those of controls. In conclusion, chronic stress produced by crowding failed to induce an increase of BP, presumably because endothelial function of SMA and vascular function of small mesenteric arteries, which are rather important in BP regulation, remained preserved.

Effect of a novel stobadine derivative on isolated rat arteries

Abstract The antioxidant and reactive-oxygen-species-scavenging activity of stobadine has been demonstrated in previous studies. Recently, chemical modification of this leading structure led to the synthesis of other pyridoindole derivatives with significantly increased intrinsic antioxidant efficacy. Further structural modifications of stobadine provided the opportunity to increase bioavailability and attenuate unwanted side effects, such as α-adrenolytic activity. The aim of the work was to evaluate the direct effect of a novel pyridoindole, SMe1EC2, on the vascular wall ex vivo. The vasomotor effect of SMe1EC2 (1×10-8-1×10-4 mol/l) was measured on isolated and pressurized rat cerebral and coronary arterioles using video-microscopy. The effect of SMe1EC2 (1×10-6 and 1×10-5 mol/l) on high potassium-, phenylephrine- or serotonin-induced contraction or acetylcholine-induced relaxation was also determined in aortic rings. We found that SMe1EC2 (1×10-8-1×10-4 mol/l) elicited significant dilatations in both cerebral and coronary arterioles (max dilatation: 25±8% and 18±5% respectively). Yet, SMe1EC2 (1×10-6 and 1×10-5 mol/l) did not influence the tone of aortic rings nor did it affect high potassium-, phenylephrine- or serotonin -induced contractions and acetylcholine-induced relaxation. Thus SMe1EC2 was able to dilate resistance arteries but did not affect aortic contractility. It is likely that SMe1EC2 does not possess α1-adrenolytic and anti-serotoninergic activity in the vascular wall.

Consequences of lipopolysaccharide and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid administration on aortic function of spontaneously hypertensive rats

The aim of the work was to study the delayed effect of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration on endothelial function of the aorta of rats with genetic hypertension. Further, the possibility to ameliorate LPS-induced changes by n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) was tested. Rats received a bolus of 1 mg/kg LPS i.p.; n-3 PUFA were administered in the dose of 30 mg/kg daily for 10 days p.o.. Ten days after receiving of LPS, the body weight gain of rats was statistically lower compared to control rats (p < 0.05). n-3 PUFA administration to LPS rats had no effect on this parameter. The TBARS and NAGA concentrations in plasma were significantly increased in the LPS group (p < 0.05) and n-3 PUFA administration returned them to control values. In functional studies, phenylephrine (PE, 1 µmol/l) evoked contraction of aortas which was not statistically different among experimental groups. However, endothelium-dependent relaxation was depressed in the LPS group (p < 0.05) and n-3 PUFA slightly recovered it to control values. In conclusion, oxidative stress seems to be responsible for aortic endothelial dysfunction detected 10 days after administration of LPS to rats. n-3 PUFA slightly improved the function of the endothelium injured by LPS, probably thanks to their antioxidant properties. Prolonged administration of higher doses of n-3 PUFA should defend the vascular endothelium against detrimental effect of bacterial inflammation.

Endothelium and the effect of activated neutrophils on arterial smooth muscle

Abstract The aim of the study was to analyze the involvement of the endothelium in the effects of neutrophils (PMNL) on phenylephrine-pre-contracted isolated rings of the rat thoracic aorta and to compare their effects with those of peroxynitrite (ONOO−) and hypochlorous acid (HOCl). Activated PMNL-induced contraction of the precontracted aorta was prevented by the blockade of NO-synthase and by endothelium removal. In the endothelium-free preparations, the effect of PMNL reappeared in the presence of sodium nitroprusside. The effect of ONOO− and HOCl significantly differed from that of activated PMNL both in the presence and absence of the endothelium. It is therefore likely that neither ONOO− nor HOCl generated by transformation of superoxide anion radical (O2•−) produced by PMNL is involved in their action. Reduction of the relaxant effect of nitric oxide derived from the endothelium by O2•− seems to be the keystone mechanism in generation of PMNL-induced contraction.

Sex differences in endothelial function of aged hypertriglyceridemic rats – effect of atorvastatin treatment

ABSTRACT The aim of the study was to test the hypothesis that the effect of atorvastatin on endothelium-dependent relaxation of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) may differ in male vs. female aged hypertriglyceridemic rats (HTGs). Experiments were performed on 11-month-old male and female Prague hereditary HTGs. Atorvastatin (ATO) was administered p.o. in the dose of 0.30 mg/100g/day. Controls received vehiculum. After two months of ATO administration blood pressure, serum triglycerides (TG) and total cholesterol (CHOL) were determined. Endothelial function of SMA was studied in vitro using evaluation of relaxant responses of precontracted SMA to acetylcholine. The serum TG of control male HTGs were found to be statistically higher than those of female controls, while CHOL and blood pressure did not share gender differences. Responses of SMA of female control HTGs were statistically decreased compared to their male counterparts. ATO treatment induced decrease in blood pressure and TG of both males and females, yet CHOL values were reduced only in females. The protective effect of ATO on SMA endothelial function was much more pronounced in females compared to males. We conclude that vascular endothelial dysfunction of aged HTG rats is more severe and more attenuated by ATO in females compared to males. The protective effect of ATO on vascular endothelial function does not seem to depend solely on its lipid lowering action.