title: Spontaneous injuries in the aortic endothelium of the inherited cataract rats and their prevention by tocopherol. A study by scanning electron microscopy.
abstract: The aortic endothelium of inherited cataract rats (ICR), which spontaneously develop cataracts and neutrophilia, was examined by scanning electron microscopy using silver nitrate staining and pressure fixation. In ICR aged 4 weeks, the luminal surface of the aorta was similar to that in Wistar rats from which they had been derived. However, 8 weeks after birth, endothelial cells were upraised and partially detached from an underlying tissue. At 16 weeks, morphological changes exhibited by such detaching cells were more evident than at 8 weeks and fibrin was seen to be adhering to the surface of these cells; no platelet involvement was noted, however. Oral administration of DL-alpha-tocopheryl acetate for 2 weeks resulted in a reduction in the extent of endothelial injury and the luminal surface of the aorta became similar to that seen in 4- or 8-week-old animals. We found that the number of age-associated spontaneous injuries occurring in the aortic endothelium of ICR could be reduced by tocopherol administration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinico-laboratory Medicine, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Masuda
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ihara
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kuriki
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Komiyama
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nishikado
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Egawa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Murata
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000473:pathology*; D002386:Cataract / Q000235:genetics*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000473:pathology; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D014810:Vitamin E; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide