Cardiovascular effect of preeclampsia upon offspring development: Are (Pro) renin-renin receptor ((P)RR) and gender related?

Objectives: Preeclampsia (PE) is a complication of pregnancy that might increase progeny risk of cardiovascular and metabolic problems, mainly in males. Renin angiotensin aldosterone system is known to be involved. (Pro) renin/renin receptor ((P)RR) has been shown to participate in cardiovascular pathology.

Preeclampsia as a possible risk factor for memory impairment, anxiety- and depressive-like behavior in offspring.

Rationale: Preeclampsia is a condition that can affect the health in offspring at adult life. The effect on several systems has been described, but less is known about its effect on neuropsychiatric disorders at early ages.

Objective: Evaluate the possible relationship of preeclampsia with development of anxiety- and depressive-like behavior, as well as memory impairments in male and female early adolescent offspring from preeclamptic mice.

Early Estrogen Replacement Therapy Attenuates Cardiac Dysfunction Caused by Aging and Ovariectomy in Female Wistar Rats.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of women's mortality, linked to aging and reduced estrogen during menopause. Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) is suggested for CVDs prevention. Yet, its timing initiation remains contentious.

Timing Matters: Effects of Early and Late Estrogen Replacement Therapy on Glucose Metabolism and Vascular Reactivity in Ovariectomized Aged Wistar Rats.

Cardiovascular disease incidence increases after menopause due to the loss of estrogen cardioprotective effects. However, there are conflicting data regarding the timing of estrogen therapy (ERT) and its effect on vascular dysfunction associated with impaired glucose metabolism. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of early and late ERT on blood glucose/insulin balance and vascular reactivity in aged ovariectomized Wistar rats.

Hyperbaric oxygenation applied before or after mild or hard stress: effects on the redox state in the muscle tissue.

The mechanism is unclear for the reported protective effect of hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning against oxidative stress in tissues, and the distinct effects of hyperbaric oxygen applied after stress. The trained mice were divided into three groups: the control, hyperbaric oxygenation preconditioning, and hyperbaric oxygenation applied after mild (fasting) or hard (prolonged exercise) stress. After preconditioning, we observed a decrease in basal levels of nitric oxide, tetrahydrobiopterin, and catalase despite the drastic increase in inducible and endothelial nitric oxide synthases.

Comparative treatment with hyperbaric oxygen therapy in a model of systemic loxoscelism in rats.

Objectives: Spiders of the genus, known as violin spiders, produce venom with dermonecrotic and systemic effects, as it is a species widely distributed in the world, its study represents a high medical relevance. Systemic loxoscelism, which occurs in 1 in 5 cases and is the most frequent in children, can be fatal, so the study of effective therapy is of great relevance. In the present study, we compared different therapeutic options to mitigate the systemic effects of venom in a model in which prepubertal rats were used.

Estrous cycle phase affects myocardial infarction through reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide.

Introduction: Myocardial infarction is the leading cause of death in women worldwide. Several studies have shown that estrogens play a cardioprotective role in women by decreasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and increasing nitric oxide (NO). The aim of this work was to determine whether the evolution of myocardial infarction depends on the phase of the estrous cycle.

Fructose and the Liver.

Chronic diseases represent a major challenge in world health. Metabolic syndrome is a constellation of disturbances affecting several organs, and it has been proposed to be a liver-centered condition. Fructose overconsumption may result in insulin resistance, oxidative stress, inflammation, elevated uric acid levels, increased blood pressure, and increased triglyceride concentrations in both the blood and liver.

Cannabidiol-mediated RISK PI3K/AKT and MAPK/ERK pathways decreasing reperfusion myocardial damage.

Myocardial ischemia continues to be the first cause of morbimortality in the world; the definitive treatment is reperfusion; however, this action causes additional damage to ischemic myocardial tissue; this forces to seek therapies of cardioprotection to reduce this additional damage. There are many cardioprotective agents; within these, cannabinoids have shown to have beneficial effects, mainly cannabidiol (CBD). CBD is a non psychoactive cannabinoid.

Chronic restraint stress induces serotonin transporter expression in the rat adrenal glands.

Chronic restraint stress (CRS) magnifies restraint-induced corticosterone secretion through a mechanism involving increased adrenocortical 5-HT content and turnover. We analysed the impact of CRS on serotonin transporter (SERT) expression and distribution in rat adrenal glands. Male Wistar rats were submitted to CRS (20 min/day) or undisturbed control conditions for 14 days.

Preeclampsia as predisposing factor for hypertensive retinopathy: Participation by the RAAS and angiogenic factors.

Preeclampsia (PE) is a hypertensive complication of pregnancy. Its cause is still unknown and it could be a risk factor for future ophthalmic problems. Retinal vascular bed alterations have been described as a consequence of PE, suggesting a retinopathy.

Effect of chronic corticosterone treatment on expression and distribution of serotonin 5-HT7 receptors in rat adrenal glands.

Sensitized stress-induced corticosterone (CORT) secretion in chronically stressed rats involves 5-HT7 receptor activation. The effect of 14-day chronic CORT and vehicle (VEH) administration on 5-HT7 receptor expression in adrenal glands, adrenal 5-HT content, and adrenocorticotropic hormone and CORT secretion was analysed. On day 15, VEH- and CORT-treated animals were perfused or decapitated without stress exposure (0 min) or after 10 and 30 min of restraint for collection of trunk blood and tissues.

Liposomes Loaded with Cisplatin and Magnetic Nanoparticles: Physicochemical Characterization, Pharmacokinetics, and In-Vitro Efficacy.

With the aim improving drug delivery, liposomes have been employed as carriers for chemotherapeutics achieving promising results; their co-encapsulation with magnetic nanoparticles is evaluated in this work. The objective of this study was to examine the physicochemical characteristics, the pharmacokinetic behaviour, and the efficacy of pegylated liposomes loaded with cisplatin and magnetic nanoparticles (magnetite) (Cis-MLs). Cis-MLs were prepared by a modified reverse-phase evaporation method.

Parecoxib Increases Blood Pressure Through Inhibition of Cyclooxygenase-2 Messenger RNA in an Experimental Model.

Background: Cyclooxygenase-2 selective inhibitors have been developed to alleviate pain and inflammation; however, the use of a selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor is associated with mild edema, hypertension, and cardiovascular risk.

Aim: To evaluate, in an experimental model in normotensive rats, the effect of treatment with parecoxib in comparison with diclofenac and aspirin and L-NAME, a non-selective nitric oxide synthetase, on mean arterial blood pressure, and cyclooxygenase-1 and -2 messenger RNA and protein expression in aortic tissue.

Methods: Rats were treated for seven days with parecoxib (10 mg/kg/day), diclofenac (3.

Pharmacological characterization of mechanisms involved in the vasorelaxation produced by rosuvastatin in aortic rings from rats with a cafeteria-style diet.

The present study aimed to investigate the possible influence of several inhibitors and blockers on the vascular effect produced by the acute in vitro application of rosuvastatin to phenylephrine-precontracted aortic rings from rats with a semi-solid, cafeteria-style (CAF) diet. It also aimed to examine the effects of rosuvastatin on the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), inducible nitric oxide synthase, constitutive cyclooxygenase, and inducible cyclooxygenase in aortic rings from rats with a CAF diet. From comparisons of the effect on phenylephrine-precontracted aortic rings extracted from rats with two different diets (a standard and a CAF diet), it was found that 10(-9) -10(-5) -mol/L rosuvastatin produced lower concentration-dependent vasorelaxation on rings from the CAF diet group.

GR-127935-sensitive mechanism mediating hypotension in anesthetized rats: are 5-HT5B receptors involved?

The 5-HT1B/1D receptor antagonist, GR-127935, inhibits hypotensive responses produced by the 5-HT1A, 5-HT1B/1D and 5-HT7 receptor agonist, and 5-HT5A/5B receptor ligand, 5-carboxamidotryptamine (5-CT), in rats. This work further characterized the above mechanism using more selective 5-HT1B and 5-HT1D receptor antagonists. Also, expression of 5-HT5A and 5-HT5B receptor mRNAs in blood vessels was searched by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.

Role of peripheral and spinal 5-HT(3) receptors in development and maintenance of formalin-induced long-term secondary allodynia and hyperalgesia.

The role of peripheral and spinal 5-HT(3) receptors in formalin-induced secondary allodynia and hyperalgesia in rats was assessed. Formalin produced acute nociceptive behaviors (flinching and licking/lifting) followed by long-term secondary mechanical allodynia and hyperalgesia in both paws. In experiments where the test drug was anticipated to augment or antagonize the response, 0.

Mechanism of the relaxant effect of rosuvastatin lactone on rat aortic rings.

The relaxant effect of the lactone of rosuvastatin was evaluated on aortic rings from male Wistar rats (250-300 g) with and without endothelium, precontracted with 1.0 microM phenylephrine. The lactone presented a greater potency than rosuvastatin in relaxing aortic rings.

Effect of inter-renal aortic coarctation-induced hypertension on function and expression of vascular α(1A)- and α(1D)-adrenoceptors.

We investigated the effect of inter-renal aortic coarctation on the function and expression of vascular α(1A)- and α(1D)-adrenoceptors and plasma angiotensin II (ATII) in rats. Male Wistar rats, either sham operated (SO), or with aortic coarctation for 7 (AC7) and 14 days (AC14) were used for agonist-induced pressor responses in vehicle (physiological saline)- and antagonist-treated anesthetized animals, immunoblot analysis (α(1A)- and α(1D)-adrenoceptor in aorta and caudal arteries), and immunoassay (plasma ATII). The α(1D)-adrenoceptor antagonist, BMY-7378 (BMY) blocked noradrenaline-induced responses in the order SO > AC7 ≫ AC14; in contrast, the α(1A)-adrenoceptor antagonist RS-100329 (RS), produced a marginal shift to the right of the dose-response curve to noradrenaline, along with a strong decrease of the maximum pressor effect in the order SO > AC7 = AC14.

Caloric restriction modifies both innate and adaptive immunity in the mouse small intestine.

Although caloric restriction (CR) apparently has beneficial effects on the immune system, its effects on the immunological function of the intestinal mucosa are little known. The present study explored the effect of CR on the innate and adaptive intestinal immunity of mice. Balb/c mice were either fed ad libitum (control) or on alternate days fed ad libitum and fasted (caloric restriction).

Effect of moderate exercise on IgA levels and lymphocyte count in mouse intestine.

The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of moderate exercise on the production and secretion of IgA in mouse duodenum, on lymphocyte levels in the lamina propria, and on gene expression encoding for cytokines that regulate the synthesis of α-chain of IgA and the expression of pIgR in the lamina propria. Two groups of young Balb/c mice were fed ad libitum, one sedentary and the other with an exercise program (swimming) for 16 weeks. IgA levels in the duodenum were quantified by ELISA; the number of IgA containing cells as well as B cells, CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells in the duodenal mucosa was determined by immunohistochemistry; gene expression was analyzed by real-time PCR, and the expression of proteins by Western blotting.

Effect of pregnancy and diabetes on vascular receptors for angiotensin II.

Both gestation and diabetes mellitus (DM) are conditions associated with an increased participation of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) as well as with changes in the vascular response to angiotensin II (Ang II). We sought to establish the impact of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) on Ang II- induced vasoconstriction and its correlation with the expression of angiotensin II receptors (AT(1)R, AT(2) R). Female Wistar rats, virgin, or on day 3 after mating, received randomly streptozotocin (STZ) 60 mg/kgor saline ip.

The influence of constitutive COX-2 in smooth muscle tissue on the contractile effect of phenylephrine in the rat abdominal aorta.

Prostanoids are involved in the phenylephrine-induced contraction of the aorta. Here, we examined whether or not constitutive cyclooxygenase-2 (phosholipases C and A2) is the source of prostanoids in the smooth muscle of the arterial wall of the thoracic and abdominal aorta. Both cyclooxygenase isoforms (COX-1 and COX-2) were expressed in the two aortic segments, but their expression was not altered by phenylephrine, the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide, or the phospholipase A2 inhibitors arachidonyl trifluoromethyl ketone and methyl arachidonyl fluorophosponate.