Arterial haemodynamics on ventricular hypertrophy in rats with simulated aortic stiffness

Effects of activity levels on aortic calcification in hyperlipidemic mice as measured by microPETmicroCT

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Cardiovascular disease risk is associated with coronary artery calcification and is mitigated by regular exercise. Paradoxically, elite endurance athletes, who have low risk, are likely to have more coronary calcification, raising questions about the optimal level of activity.

METHODS

Female hyperlipidemic (Apoe-/-) mice with baseline aortic calcification were subjected to high-speed (18.5 m/min), low-speed (12.5 m/min), or no treadmill exercise for 9 weeks. 18F-NaF microPET/CT images were acquired at weeks 0 and 9, and echocardiography was performed at week 9.

RESULTS

In controls, aortic calcium content and density increased significantly. Exercise regimens did not alter the time-dependent increase in content, but the increase in mean density was blunted. Interestingly, the low-speed regimen significantly reduced 18F-NaF uptake, a marker of surface area. Left ventricular (LV) systolic function was lower while LV diameter was greater in the low-speed group compared with controls or the high-speed group. In the low-speed group, vertebral bone density by CT decreased significantly, contrary to expectations. Male hyperlipidemic (Apoe-/-) mice were fed a Western diet and also subjected to low-speed or no exercise followed by imaging at weeks 0 and 9. In males, exercise also did not alter the time-dependent increase in aortic calcification. Exercise did not affect 18F-NaF uptake or bone mineral density, but it blunted the diet-induced LV hypertrophy seen in controls.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that, in mice, exercise has differential effects on aortic calcification, cardiac function, and skeletal bone mineral density.

Arterial Stiffness and Trace Elements in Apparently Healthy Population- A Cross-sectional Study

INTRODUCTION

Stiffening of arteries is a natural ageing process. Any diseases/disorders or risk factors that escalate oxidative stress, microvascular inflammation and endothelial damage may promote to premature vascular stiffening. Any imbalance in these trace element levels may independently contribute to the changes in the components in the arterial wall and thus, arterial stiffness via one or more mechanisms.

AIM

To evaluate the severity of arterial stiffness in apparently healthy population and also to evaluate role of various risk factors and trace elements in the severity of arterial stiffness.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Male and female subjects living in urban and rural areas of Nellore district, Andhra Pradesh, India, between 20-60 years, apparently normal as judged by the clinician basing on clinical and laboratory findings, were studied. Carotid-Femoral Pulse Wave Velocity (cf-PWV) a marker of arterial stiffness was assessed using non-invasive blood pressure curve monitoring (periscope). Furthermore, we also estimated serum levels of Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), Selenium (Se), chromium (Cr), Aluminium (Al), silicon (Si), Manganese (Mn), Molybdenum (Mb), Vanadium (Vn) and lead (Pb) using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. ANOVA and Chi-Square test were used to study the clinical correlations between severity of arterial stiffness, risk factors and trace elements.

RESULTS

A total of 737 apparently healthy subjects participated in this cross-sectional study. Of the total 542 (73.5%) were from rural and the remaining 195 (26.5%) were living in urban areas, 328 (44.5%) were males, and 409 (55.5%) were females. A 63.5% (468/737) had normal arterial stiffness followed by 14.5% (107/737) with mild stiffness, 7% (57/737) had moderate stiffness and 14.2% (105/737) had severe arterial stiffness. Smoking, alcohol, blood pressures, fasting blood sugar, and total cholesterol, Cu, Al and Vn correlated (p<0.05) with different grades of arterial stiffness.

CONCLUSION

A 36.5% had high arterial stiffness despite being apparently healthy. Smoking, alcohol, blood pressures, fasting blood sugars, and total cholesterol, Cu, Al and Vn could have contributed for such an abnormality. Caution has to be executed while understanding the study results since the pathophysiological process is complex.

Activation of ERK5 in angiotensin II-induced hypertrophy of human aortic smooth muscle cells

Extracellular signal-regulated kinase 5 (ERK5), a recently discovered mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), plays a key role in the development and pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. In order to clarify the pathophysiological significance of ERK5 in vascular remodeling, we investigated ERK5 phosphorylation in hypertrophy of human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) induced by angiotensin II (Ang II). The AT1 receptor was involved in Ang II-induced ERK5 activity. Hypertrophy was detected by the measurement of protein synthesis with [(3)H]-Leu incorporation in cultured HASMCs. Ang II rapidly induced phosphorylation of ERK5 at Thr218/Tyr220 residues in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Activation of myocyte enhancer factor-2C (MEF2C) by ERK5 was inhibited by PD98059. Transfecting HASMCs with small interfering RNA (siRNA) to silence ERK5 inhibited Ang II-induced cell hypertrophy. Thus, ERK5 phosphorylation contributes to MEF2C activation and subsequent HASMC hypertrophy induced by Ang II, for a novel molecular mechanism in cardiovascular diseases induced by Ang II.