Effects of short-term feeding of a highly palatable diet on vascular reactivity in rats.
BACKGROUND
Numerous studies have shown that long-term consumption of high-fat, high-energy diet results in obesity, which in turn, leads to cardiovascular disorders. However, there is little or no data on the acute effects of a highly palatable diet on vascular function.


METHODS
In this study we aimed to evaluate the changes in metabolic and vascular reactivity in Wistar rats fed a palatable diet for 2 days.


RESULTS
Two-days feeding of rats with a palatable diet did not effect body weight, fat-pad mass or gastrocnemius muscles weights. Nor there were any changes in plasma glucose, insulin or leptin levels. However, compared with chow-fed rats, palatable diet-fed rats had significantly raised plasma free fatty acids and triglycerides levels (for both, P < 0.01). Compared with chow-fed animals, vasorelaxation responses to carbamylcholine and sodium nitroprusside were significantly attenuated in palatable diet-fed rats (for both, P < 0.01). However, there were no differences in histamine-induced vasorelaxation between chow-fed and palatable diet-fed rats.


CONCLUSIONS
These data indicates that diet-induced endothelium-dependent and -independent vascular dysfunction occurs long before obesity develops.
Naderali
E K
EK
Diabetes and Endocrinology Research Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Liverpool, Daulby Street, Liverpool L69 3GA, UK. naderali@liverpool.ac.uk
Williams
G
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D000447:Aldehydes / Q000097:blood; D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002217:Carbachol / Q000494:pharmacology; D018679:Cholinergic Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002149:Energy Intake; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood; D006632:Histamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008638:Mesenteric Arteries / Q000502:physiology; D009599:Nitroprusside / Q000494:pharmacology; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects*; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
D000447:Aldehydes; D018679:Cholinergic Agonists; D004041:Dietary Fats; D005227:Fatty Acids; D014280:Triglycerides; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; C001634:fatty aldehyde; D009599:Nitroprusside; D006632:Histamine; D002217:Carbachol