Aim: We investigated the effects of continuous or interval aerobic exercise training on vascular reactivity female rats fed with fructose. Methods: Female Wistar (8-wk old) were divided into: sedentary (SD), (CTR), and (ITR). Moderate intensity protocols consisted running 3 days/week for 7 weeks. CTR ran 40 min at 30%–40% maximal speed (MS) TRI sets 1 70% MS followed by 35% MS. Animals standard...

Angiotensin II is a key player in the pathogenesis of renovascular hypertension, a condition associated with endothelial dysfunction. We investigated aliskiren (ALSK) and L-arginine treatment both alone and in combination on blood pressure (BP), and vascular reactivity in aortic rings. Hypertension was induced in 40 male Wistar rats by clipping the left renal artery. Animals were divided into S...

PURPOSE The present study investigated the effects of acid and mixed reflux on the responsiveness of gastric smooth muscle in the gastroesophageal reflux (GER) rat model. MATERIAL AND METHODS Three groups of rat were studied encompassing acid reflux, mixed reflux and sham operation. Acid reflux was induced by pyloric ligation (AR group) and mixed reflux was induced by jejunal ligation 1 cm di...

Chronic ligation of one pulmonary artery results in pulmonary vascular remodeling and bronchial angiogenesis, collectively known as postobstructive pulmonary vasculopathy (POPV). To investigate pulmonary vascular reactivity in POPV, we ligated the left main pulmonary artery of guinea pigs and, after 1-10 mo, prepared explants by inflating lungs with agarose and sectioning them into approximatel...

BACKGROUND Inhalational insulin was withdrawn from market in 2007 due to its potential to produce airway hyper-reactivity and bronchoconstriction. So we explored the possible mechanism underlying the acute contractile effects of insulin and protective effects of beclomethasone against insulin induced airway hyper-responsiveness on isolated tracheal smooth muscle of guinea pig in vitro. METHOD...

The effects of diadenosine polyphosphates (APnA; n = 3-6) and adenine nucleotides on contractile reactivity of isolated rat mesenteric resistance arteries (MrA) and superior epigastric arteries (SEA), which display a dense and sparse autonomic innervation, respectively, were evaluated. All agonists examined, except adenosine and AMP, induced contractions. The rank order of potency was similar i...

In 1653, the English physician William Harvey published the first comprehensive study of blood vessels, De Motu Cordis.1 This classic treatise delineated the directions of blood flow, differences between veins and arteries, functions of venous ''valves,' and anatomy of the systemic and pulmonary circulations. By the 19th century, the major layers constituting blood vessels were identified and o...

Repeated ovalbumin (OA) or saline exposure of sensitized Brown Norway rats was examined on agonist reactivity, airway smooth muscle (ASM) content, and contractile protein expression in small bronchioles at 24 h, 7 days, and 35 days after challenge. OA increased ASM content (P < 0.05 vs. saline) at 24 h, which resolved by 7 days. Maximum developed tension (T(max)) to carbachol, KCl, and 4-beta-p...

BACKGROUND/AIM The effects of AT2 receptor agonist novokinin on blood pressure, eNOS, NADPH oxidase, protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs), and Rho kinase in hypertension were investigated. Furthermore, in isolated thoracic aorta rings, contractile and dilator responses were studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS To develop hypertension, L-NAME was administered intraperitoneally and salt was gi...