title: Exercise restores beta-adrenergic vasorelaxation in aged rat carotid arteries.
abstract: Aging is associated with alterations in beta-adrenergic receptor (beta-AR) signaling and reduction in cardiovascular responses to beta-AR stimulation. Because exercise can attenuate age-related impairment in myocardial beta-AR signaling and function, we tested whether training could also exert favorable effects on vascular beta-AR responses. We evaluated common carotid artery responsiveness in isolated vessel ring preparations from 8 aged male Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats trained for 6 wk in a 5 days/wk swimming protocol, 10 untrained age-matched rats, and 10 young WKY rats. Vessels were preconstricted with phenylephrine (10-6 M), and vasodilation was assessed in response to the beta-AR agonist isoproterenol (10-10-3 x 10-8 M), the alpha2-AR agonist UK-14304 (10-9-10-6 M), the muscarinic receptor agonist ACh (10-9-10-6 M), and nitroprusside (10-8-10-5 M). beta-AR density and cytoplasmic beta-AR kinase (beta-ARK) activity were tested on pooled carotid arteries. beta-ARK expression was assessed in two endothelial cell lines from bovine aorta and aorta isolated from a 12-wk WKY rat. beta-AR, alpha2-AR, and muscarinic responses, but not that to nitroprusside, were depressed in untrained aged vs. young animals. Exercise training restored beta-AR and muscarinic responses but did not affect vasodilation induced by UK-14304 and nitroprusside. Aged carotid arteries showed reduced beta-AR number and increased beta-ARK activity. Training counterbalanced these phenomena and restored beta-AR density and beta-ARK activity to levels observed in young rat carotids. Our data indicate that age impairs beta-AR vasorelaxation in rat carotid arteries through beta-AR downregulation and desensitization. Exercise restores this response and reverts age-related modification in beta-ARs and beta-ARK. Our data support an important role for beta-ARK in vascular beta-AR vasorelaxation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinic Medicine, University of Naples "Federico II," Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy. dleosco@unina.it
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Leosco
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Iaccarino
authors.forename: Ersilia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cipolletta
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Santis
authors.forename: Eliana
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pisani
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Trimarco
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ferrara
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Abete
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sorriento
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rengo
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Trimarco
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D000068438:Brimonidine Tartrate; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D007545:Isoproterenol / Q000494:pharmacology; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000502:physiology; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D009599:Nitroprusside / Q000494:pharmacology; D009929:Organ Size / Q000502:physiology; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D011810:Quinoxalines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta / Q000502:physiology*; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D019323:omega-N-Methylarginine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D011810:Quinoxalines; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D009599:Nitroprusside; D019323:omega-N-Methylarginine; D000068438:Brimonidine Tartrate; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; C496316:Nos3 protein, rat; D007545:Isoproterenol; D000109:Acetylcholine