title: Vascular wall function in insulin-resistant JCR:LA-cp rats: role of male and female sex.
abstract: Vascular wall function was assessed in obese insulin-resistant (cp/cp) and lean normal (+/?), male and female, JCR:LA-cp rats. Both male and female cp/cp rats showed enhanced maximum contractility in response to norepinephrine; impaired smooth muscle in response to sodium nitroprusside, a nitric oxide (NO) donor; and impaired relaxation in response to acetylcholine (ACh), compared with their lean counterparts. The abnormalities were similar in male and female cp/cp rats. The NO synthase inhibitor, Nomega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), inhibited ACh-mediated relaxation significantly in male rats, both cp/cp and +/?. The inhibition of ACh-mediated relaxation by L-NAME in +/? females was less, with no reduction in maximal relaxation, and was absent in cp/cp females. These effects suggest that the relative importance of NO in the endothelial modulation of smooth muscle contractility is greater in male rats. The results are consistent with a decreased role for endothelial NO in the cp/cp rats of both sexes and a reduction in NO-independent cholinergic relaxation in the male cp/cp rat. This NO-independent mechanism is not affected in the female cp/cp rats. The relatively small differences between males and females in smooth muscle cell and vascular function may contribute to sex-related differences in the atherogenesis, vasospasm, and ischemic damage associated with the obese insulin-resistant state.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Dolphin
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Davidge
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000502:physiology*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D008040:Genetic Linkage / Q000235:genetics; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008638:Mesenteric Arteries / Q000502:physiology; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000187:drug effects; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D009599:Nitroprusside / Q000494:pharmacology; D009765:Obesity / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007328:Insulin; D014280:Triglycerides; D009599:Nitroprusside; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; C496316:Nos3 protein, rat; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester