Environmental exposures may have endocrine disruptor (ED) effects, e.g., a role for halogenated hydrocarbon chlorobenzenes in increasing vasopressin (AVP), oxytocin (OT) secretion and, in association, anxiety and aggression in male rats has been shown.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWhile oncotherapy has made rapid progress in recent years, side effects of anti-cancer drugs and treatments have also come to the fore. These side effects include cardiotoxicity, which can cause irreversible cardiac damages with long-term morbidity and mortality. Despite the continuous in-depth research on anti-cancer drugs, an improved knowledge of the underlying mechanisms of cardiotoxicity are necessary for early detection and management of cardiac risk.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are autoimmune disorders of the gut. It is increasingly clear that voluntary exercise (VE) may exert protection against IBDs, but the exact background mechanism needs to be elucidated. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the possible role of NETosis and the antioxidant peroxiredoxin (Prdx) enzyme family in VE-induced protection.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAlthough the morphological features and functions of adipose tissue are well-described in obesity-prone animal models, less information is available on animals such as the () strain with cardiovascular abnormalities, which is not characterized by excessive adiposity. Our aim was to focus on lifestyle-induced (type of diet and physical exercise) effects on adipokine profile and lipid peroxidation in rats. In our study, male (control) and rats were used.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic, inflammatory disorders of the gastrointestinal (GI) system, which have become a global disease over the past few decades. It has become increasingly clear that oxidative stress plays a role in the pathogenesis of IBD. Even though several effective therapies exist against IBD, these might have serious side effects.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAccording to a widely accepted theory, oxidative stress is considered to be the number one trigger of aging-associated degenerative processes including cardiovascular diseases. In the context of aging-research, resveratrol receives special attention with its surprising number of health benefits. The aim of our study was to examine the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of this dietary polyphenol in aging rat heart.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe development and progression of male infertility are closely linked to a sedentary lifestyle; however, its underlying mechanisms are not fully elucidated. Our aim was to assess the protective effects of moderate swimming exercise on the male reproductive system in isoproterenol-treated rats. Male Wistar rats were divided into five groups as follows: (1) non-interventional controls (CTRL), (2) isoproterenol-treated (ISO), (3) pre-treatment swimming training + ISO (PRE + ISO), (4) ISO + post-treatment swimming training (ISO+POST), (5) pre-treatment swimming training + ISO + post-treatment swimming training (PRE + ISO + POST) groups.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAdvanced age is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, which might be further exacerbated by estrogen deficiency. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) decreases cardiovascular risks and events in postmenopausal women; however, its effects are not fully elucidated in older individuals. Thus, the aim of our study is to examine the impact of HRT on oxidant/antioxidant homeostasis and cardiac remodeling.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSelective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) were discovered in the mid-1900s in connection with estrogen-related pathological conditions. They were developed to antagonize the adverse effects of estrogen and have been shown to be effective against postmenopausal disorders manifested by estrogen deficiency. Raloxifene (RAL), one of the most widely used SERMs, expresses estrogen-like effects on bones, while it is found to be an antagonist on breast and uterus.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAm J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol
February 2019
The progression of coronary artery diseases in premenopausal women is lower than in age-matched men; however, its probability increases rapidly after menopause. The aim of our study was to investigate the postconditioning-like effects of voluntary physical exercise on postmenopausal cardiovascular outcomes after myocardial infarction. We used fertile Wistar females [control (CTRL)] and pharmacologically induced estrogen-deficient (POVX; 750 µg/kg triptorelin im, every 4th week) rats.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCardiovascular morbidity and mortality of premenopausal women are significantly lower compared to men of similar age. However, this protective effect evidently decreases after the onset of menopause. We hypothesized that physical exercise could be a potential therapeutic strategy to improve inflammatory processes and cardiovascular antioxidant homeostasis, which can be affected by the loss of estrogen and the adverse environmental factors, such as overnutrition.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEstrogens and raloxifene (RAL) have beneficial effects on certain cardiovascular indices in postmenopausal women characterized by estrogen deficiency. Heme oxygenase (HO) activity is increased by 17-estradiol (E) and RAL in estrogen-deficient rat resulting in vasorelaxation mediated by carbon monoxide. We determined the expressions of HO in cardiac and aortic tissues after ovariectomy (OVX) and subsequent RAL or E treatment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAnimal models have historically played a critical role in the exploration and characterization of disease pathophysiology and target identification and in the evaluation of novel therapeutic agents and treatments in vivo. Diabetes mellitus disease, commonly known as diabetes, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by high blood glucose levels for a prolonged time. To avoid late complications of diabetes and related costs, primary prevention and early treatment are therefore necessary.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: It is well established that physical exercise continues to be one of the most valuable forms of non-pharmacological therapy against diabetes mellitus; however, the precise mechanism remains unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the cardioprotective effect of voluntary exercise in the Goto-Kakizaki type 2 diabetic rat heart against ischemia-reperfusion injury and to clarify its biochemical background, focusing on the nitric oxide synthase/heme oxygenase system.
Methods: One group of male Goto-Kakizaki rats were allowed voluntary exercise, whereas others were kept sedentary for 6 weeks.
Estrogen deficiency is one of the main causes of age-associated diseases in the cardiovascular system. Female Wistar rats were divided into four experimental groups: pharmacologically ovariectomized, surgically ovariectomized, and 24-month-old intact aging animals were compared with a control group. The activity and expression of heme oxygenases (HO) in the cardiac left ventricle, the concentrations of cardiac interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), the myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in the cardiac left ventricle, and the effects of heme oxygenase blockade (by 24-hour and 1-hour pretreatment with tin-protoporphyrin IX, SnPP) on the epinephrine and phentolamine-induced electrocardiogram ST segment changes in vivo were investigated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Regular exercise at moderate intensity reduces cardiovascular risks. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play a major role in cardiac remodeling, facilitating physiological adaptation to exercise. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of voluntary physical exercise on the MMP-2 enzyme activity and to investigate the cardiac performance by measurement of angina susceptibility of the heart, the basal blood pressure, the surviving aorta ring contraction, and the cardiac infarct size after I/R-induced injury.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe estrogen deficiency after menopause leads to overweight or obesity, and physical exercise is one of the important modulators of this body weight gain. Female Wistar rats underwent ovariectomy surgery (OVX) or sham operation (SO). OVX and SO groups were randomized into new groups based on the voluntary physical activity (with or without running) and the type of diet for 12 weeks.
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