title: Effects of vitamin E deficiency on vasomotor activity and ultrastructural organisation of rat thoracic aorta.
abstract: 1. The effects of vitamin E deficiency were evaluated in aortic rings isolated from rats maintained on a diet deficient in vitamin E. 2. Endothelium-dependent vasodilator responses to acetylcholine (ACh) and calcium ionophore, A23187, were reduced in preparations from treated animals, compared to the age-matched controls. The maximal vasodilation to ACh was 66.4 +/- 9 (n = 4) and 38.8 +/- 7 (n = 4) % in control and 10 month-treated preparations, respectively. 3. The endothelium-independent vasodilator responses to sodium nitroprusside as well as the concentration-dependent contractile responses to noradrenaline, did not differ between treated and control preparations. 4. Electron microscopic examination of vascular segments and revealed that, following vitamin E deficiency, normal tissue organisation was disrupted, the endothelial monolayer either not being in contact with the underlying tissue or being absent in most of the areas analysed. 5. It is concluded that during vitamin E deficiency both morphological disruption and functional impairment of endothelium occur without observable modification of muscle cell function and morphology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, University College London.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rubino
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Loesch
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Goss-Sampson
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Milla
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Burnstock
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000001:Calcimycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009599:Nitroprusside / Q000494:pharmacology; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects*; D014811:Vitamin E Deficiency / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D009599:Nitroprusside; D000001:Calcimycin; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D000109:Acetylcholine; D009638:Norepinephrine