Treatment with thyroid hormones and grape juice in a model of pulmonary hypertension: the response of apoptosis and inflammation.

This study explored the association of cardioprotective role of thyroid hormones (TH) and benefit effects of grape juice (GJ) on vascular function against the apoptosis and inflammation associated with monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary hypertension (PH). Wistar rats were distributed into five groups: control; PH (MCT 60mg/kg i.p.

DHEA Treatment Effects on Redox Environment in Skeletal Muscle of Young and Aged Healthy Rats.

Background: Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is an important precursor of active steroid hormone, produced abundantly by the adrenal cortex with an age-dependent pattern.

Objective: We investigated whether chronic DHEA administration impacts on redox status and on Akt protein activation in skeletal muscle during the aging process (3 and 24 months-old rats).

Methods: Rats received one weekly dose/5 weeks of DHEA (10 mg/kg) or vehicle.

Circulating extracellular vesicles in the aging process: impact of aerobic exercise.

Our aim was to investigate transitory and delayed exercise effects on serum extracellular vesicles (EVs) in aging process. Male Wistar rats of 3-, 21-, and 26-month old were allocated into exercised and sedentary groups. The exercise protocol consisted in a daily moderate treadmill exercise (20 min daily during 2 weeks).

Thyroid hormones effects on oxidative stress and cardiac remodeling in the right ventricle of infarcted rats.

Unlabelled: Right ventricle (RV) dysfunction post-myocardial infarction (MI) was associated with a worsened prognosis. In this scenario, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are related with the progression from MI to heart failure. Previous work showed that thyroid hormones (TH) are cardioprotective after MI.

Modulation of apoptosis by sulforaphane is associated with PGC-1α stimulation and decreased oxidative stress in cardiac myoblasts.

Sulforaphane is a naturally occurring isothiocyanate capable of stimulating cellular antioxidant defenses and inducing phase 2 detoxifying enzymes, which can protect cells against oxidative damage. Oxidative stress and apoptosis are intimately involved in the pathophysiology of cardiac diseases. Although sulforaphane is known for its anticancer benefits, its role in cardiac cells is just emerging.