title: Testosterone treatment increases thromboxane function in rat cerebral arteries.
abstract: We previously showed that testosterone, administered in vivo, increases the tone of cerebral arteries. A possible underlying mechanism is increased vasoconstriction through the thromboxane A2 (TxA2) pathway. Therefore, we investigated the effect of chronic testosterone treatment (4 wk) on TxA2 synthase levels and the contribution of TxA2 to vascular tone in rat middle cerebral arteries (MCAs). Using immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy, we demonstrated that TxA2 synthase is present in MCA segments in both smooth muscle and endothelial layers. Using Western blot analysis, we found that TxA2 synthase protein levels are higher in cerebral vessel homogenates from testosterone-treated orchiectomized (ORX + T) rats compared with orchiectomized (ORX) control animals. Functional consequences of changes in cerebrovascular TxA2 synthase were determined using cannulated, pressurized MCA segments in vitro. Constrictor responses to the TxA2 mimetic U-46619 were not different between the ORX + T and ORX groups. However, dilator responses to either the selective TxA2 synthase inhibitor furegrelate or the TxA2-endoperoxide receptor (TP) antagonist SQ-29548 were greater in the ORX + T compared with ORX group. In endothelium-denuded arteries, the dilation to furegrelate was attenuated in both the ORX and ORX + T groups, and the difference between the groups was abolished. These data suggest that chronic testosterone treatment enhances TxA2-mediated tone in rat cerebral arteries by increasing endothelial TxA2 synthesis without altering the TP receptors mediating constriction. The effect of in vivo testosterone on cerebrovascular TxA2 synthase, observed here after chronic hormone administration, may contribute to the risk of vasospasm and thrombosis related to cerebrovascular disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Univ. of California, Irvine, CA 92697-4625, USA.
authors.forename: Rayna J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Gonzales
authors.forename: Amir A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Ghaffari
authors.forename: Sue P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Duckles
authors.forename: Diana N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Krause
mesh_terms: D019796:15-Hydroxy-11 alpha,9 alpha-(epoxymethano)prosta-5,13-dienoic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D000728:Androgens / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000494:pharmacology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D006834:Hydrazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D020768:Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D009919:Orchiectomy; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D017482:Receptors, Thromboxane / Q000819:agonists / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013928:Thromboxane A2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D013930:Thromboxane-A Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D001572:Benzofurans; D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D006834:Hydrazines; D017482:Receptors, Thromboxane; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D013739:Testosterone; D013928:Thromboxane A2; D019796:15-Hydroxy-11 alpha,9 alpha-(epoxymethano)prosta-5,13-dienoic Acid; C045749:SQ 29548; D013930:Thromboxane-A Synthase; C039936:furegrelate