Intergenerational inheritance induced by a high-fat diet causes hyperphagia and reduced hypothalamic sensitivity to insulin and leptin in the second-generation of rats.

Objective: The aim was to investigate the intergenerational inheritance induced by a high-fat diet on sensitivity to insulin and leptin in the hypothalamic control of satiety in second-generation offspring, which were fed a control diet.

Methods: Progenitor rats were fed a high-fat or a control diet for 59 d until weaning. The first-generation and second-generation offspring were fed the control diet until 90 d of age.

Effects of Psidium guajava L. leaves extract on blood pressure control and IL-10 production in salt-dependent hypertensive rats.

Psidium guajava (guava) leaves extract displays anti-hypertensive properties by mechanisms not yet fully understood. Here, we investigated whether sympathetic drive and immune signaling mechanisms are involved with the antihypertensive effect of the guava extract in a model of salt-dependent hypertension. Raw guava extract (rPsE) was characterized by colorimetric and UPLC-MS techniques.

Progenitor with cardiometabolic disorders increases food intake, systemic inflammation and gut microbiota alterations in the second-generation offspring.

This work presents the effects of the high-fat diet (H) consumed by the progenitor (G) on cardiometabolic disorders and intestinal microbiota in the second-generation offspring (F). The rats submitted to H (GH) or control (C) (GC) diets, during mating, gestation and lactation, generated F offspring (F-GH and F-GC, respectively), which received only the C diet. Both, GH and F-GH, showed changes in the intestinal microbiota, increased MAP, plasma TAG levels, adiposity index and the inflammatory process in retroperitoneal fat and in the colon shown by increased TNF-α, MCP-1, MyD88 and CAV-1 gene expression.

Swimming training improves cardiovascular autonomic dysfunctions and prevents renal damage in rats fed a high-sodium diet from weaning.

New Findings: What is the central question of this study? How does swimming exercise training impact hydro-electrolytic balance, renal function, sympathetic contribution to resting blood pressure and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) [Na ] in rats fed a high-sodium diet from weaning? What is the main finding and its importance? An exercise-dependent reduction in blood pressure was associated with decreased CSF [Na ], sympathetically driven vasomotor tonus and renal fibrosis indicating that the anti-hypertensive effects of swimming training in rats fed a high-sodium diet might involve neurogenic mechanisms regulated by sodium levels in the CSF rather than changes in blood volume.

Abstract: High sodium intake is an important factor associated with hypertension. High-sodium intake with exercise training can modify homeostatic hydro-electrolytic balance, but the effects of this association are mostly unknown.

The Novel Angiotensin-(1-7) Analog, A-1317, Improves Insulin Resistance by Restoring Pancreatic -Cell Functionality in Rats With Metabolic Syndrome.

In previous studies we have shown that oral Ang-(1-7) has a beneficial therapeutic effect on cardiometabolic disturbances present in metabolic syndrome (MetS). Based on the fact that Ang-(1-7) acts through release of nitric oxide (NO), a new peptide, A-1317 was engineered adding the amino acid L-Arginine, the NO precursor, to the N-terminal portion of the Ang-(1-7). Therefore, in a single molecule the substrate and the activator of NO are combined.

Different reactive species modulate the hypotensive effect triggered by angiotensins at CVLM of 2K1C hypertensive rats.

Hypertension is associated with increased central activity of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and oxidative stress. Here, we evaluated whether reactive species and neurotransmitters could contribute to the hypotensive effect induced by angiotensin (Ang) II and Ang-(1-7) at the caudal ventrolateral medulla (CVLM) in renovascular hypertensive rats (2K1C). Therefore, we investigated the effect of Ang II, Ang-(1-7), and the Ang-(1-7) antagonist A-779 microinjected before and after CVLM microinjection of the nitric oxide (NO)-synthase inhibitor, (L-NAME), vitamin C (Vit C), bicuculline, or kynurenic acid in 2K1C and SHAM rats.

Fitness is improved by adjustments in muscle intracellular signaling in rats with renovascular hypertension 2K1C undergoing voluntary physical exercise.

Aim: To evaluate physical fitness and cardiovascular effects in rats with renovascular hypertension, two kidneys, one clip (2K1C) submitted to voluntary exercise (ExV).

Main Methods: 24 h after surgery (SHAM and 2K1C) rats were submitted to ExV for one week (adaptation). ExV adherent rats were separated into exercise (2K1C-EX and SHAM-EX) or sedentary (2K1C-SED and SHAM-SED) groups.

Environmental Enrichment Promotes Antioxidant Effect in the Ventrolateral Medulla and Kidney of Renovascular Hypertensive Rats.

Background: Arterial hypertension is a precursor to the development of heart and renal failure, furthermore is associated with elevated oxidative markers. Environmental enrichment of rodents increases performance in memory tasks, also appears to exert an antioxidant effect in the hippocampus of normotensive rats.

Objectives: Evaluate the effect of environmental enrichment on oxidative stress in the ventrolateral medulla, heart, and kidneys of renovascular hypertensive rats.

Antioxidant Effects of Oral Ang-(1-7) Restore Insulin Pathway and RAS Components Ameliorating Cardiometabolic Disturbances in Rats.

In prevention studies of metabolic syndrome (MetS), Ang-(1-7) has shown to improve the insulin signaling. We evaluated the HPCD/Ang-(1-7) treatment on lipid metabolism, renin-angiotensin system (RAS) components, oxidative stress, and insulin pathway in the liver and gastrocnemius muscle and hepatic steatosis in rats with established MetS. After 7 weeks of high-fat (FAT) or control (CT) diets, rats were treated with cyclodextrin (HPCD) or HPCD/Ang-(1-7) in the last 6 weeks.

Physical training improves thermogenesis and insulin pathway, and induces remodeling in white and brown adipose tissues.

Physical training (PT) has been considered as a treatment in metabolic syndrome (MS), since it induces thermogenic activity in brown (BAT) and white (WAT) adipose tissues. We evaluated the therapeutic effect of PT on activity of WAT and BAT in rats with MS induced by high-fat diet (30% lard) for 13 weeks and submitted, for the last 6 weeks, to swimming or kept sedentary (SED) rats. MS-SED rats compared to control diet (CT-SED) rats showed low physical fitness and high levels of glucose, insulin, homeostasis evaluation of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), homeostasis evaluation of the functional capacity of β-cells (HOMA-β), and blood pressure.

Swimming training induces liver adaptations to oxidative stress and insulin sensitivity in rats submitted to high-fat diet.

Oxidative stress, physical inactivity and high-fat (FAT) diets are associated with hepatic disorders such as metabolic syndrome (MS). The therapeutic effects of physical training (PT) were evaluated in rats with MS induced by FAT diet for 13 weeks, on oxidative stress and insulin signaling in the liver, during the last 6 weeks. FAT-sedentary (SED) rats increased body mass, retroperitoneal fat, mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR), and total cholesterol, serum alanine aminotransferase, glucose and insulin.

Cardiovascular responses to l-glutamate microinjection into the NTS are abrogated by reduced glutathione.

Redox imbalance in regions of the CNS controlling blood pressure is increasingly recognized as a leading factor for hypertension. Nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) of the dorsomedial medulla is the main region receiving excitatory visceral sensory inputs that modulate autonomic efferent drive to the cardiovascular system. This study sought to determine the capacity of reduced glutathione, a major bioactive antioxidant, to modulate NTS-mediated control of cardiovascular function in unanaesthetized rats.

Changes in cardiovascular responses to chemoreflex activation of rats recovered from protein restriction are not related to AT receptors.

What is the central question of this study? In this study, we sought to investigate whether cardiovascular responses to peripheral chemoreflex activation of rats recovered from protein restriction are related to activation of AT receptors. What is the main finding and its importance? This study highlights the fact that angiotensinergic mechanisms activated by AT receptors do not support increased responses to peripheral chemoreflex activation by KCN in rats recovered from protein restriction. Also, we found that protein restriction led to increased resting ventilation in adult rats, even after recovery.

Swimming training promotes cardiac remodeling and alters the expression of mRNA and protein levels involved in calcium handling in hypertensive rats.

Aim: The aim of this study was to identify the effects of swimming training on the mRNA expression and protein levels of the calcium handling proteins in the hearts of renovascular hypertensive rats submitted to swimming protocol during 6 weeks.

Main Methods: Fischer rats with renovascular hypertension 2-kidney 1-clip (2K1C) and SHAM groups were divided among sedentary and exercised groups. The exercise protocol lasted for 6 weeks (1 h/day, 5×/week), and the mean arterial pressure, cardiomyocytes hypertrophy parameters, mRNA expression and protein levels of some calcium handling proteins in the left ventricle were evaluated.

Age-dependent effect of high-fructose and high-fat diets on lipid metabolism and lipid accumulation in liver and kidney of rats.

Background: The metabolic syndrome (MS) is characterized by variable coexistence of metabolic and pathophysiological alterations which are important risk factors for developing of type II diabetes and/or cardiovascular diseases. Increased of MS patients in worldwide has stimulated the development of experimental models. However, it is still challenging to find an dietetic model that most closely approximates human MS and, in addition, is not yet fully established the effect of different diets of MS in lipid metabolism in rats of different ages.

The nonpeptide ANG-(1-7) mimic AVE 0991 attenuates cardiac remodeling and improves baroreflex sensitivity in renovascular hypertensive rats.

Aims: The nonpeptide Ang-(1-7) analog, AVE 0991, is recognized as having beneficial cardiovascular effects similar to those induced by Ang-(1-7). In this study, we evaluated the effects of AVE 0991 on cardiovascular functions and on cardiac and renal remodeling in rats with 2K1C renovascular hypertension.

Main Methods: Fisher rats underwent surgery to induce 2K1C renovascular hypertension and were then treated with AVE 0991 (1 or 3mg/kg) for 28days.

Nitric oxide at the CVLM is involved in the attenuation of the reflex bradycardia in renovascular hypertensive rats.

Hypertension is associated to an increase in central oxidative stress and an attenuation of the baroreflex control of arterial pressure. The present study evaluated the effect of alterations in the levels of nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide anion in the caudal ventrolateral medulla (CVLM), a key area of the brainstem for the baroreflex control of arterial pressure, in renovascular hypertensive rats (2K1C). Baseline mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), and reflex bradycardia were evaluated 30 days after renal artery occlusion in anesthetized (urethane, 1.

Angiotensin-(1-7) antagonist, A-779, microinjection into the caudal ventrolateral medulla of renovascular hypertensive rats restores baroreflex bradycardia.

In the present study we evaluated the effect of caudal ventrolateral medulla (CVLM) microinjection of the main angiotensin (Ang) peptides, Ang II and Ang-(1-7), and their selective antagonists on baseline arterial pressure (AP) and on baroreceptor-mediated bradycardia in renovascular hypertensive rats (2K1C). Microinjection of Ang II and Ang-(1-7) into the CVLM of 2K1C rats produced similar decrease in AP as observed in Sham rats. In both Sham and 2K1C, the hypotensive effect of Ang II and Ang-(1-7) at the CVLM was blocked, for up to 30 min, by previous CVLM microinjection of the Ang II AT1 receptor antagonist, Losartan, and Ang-(1-7) Mas antagonist, A-779, respectively.