Early structural changes of aortic wall in sinoaortic-denervated rats.
1. The present work was designed to observe the early structural changes in the aortic wall in Sprague-Dawley rats 1, 2 and 4 weeks after sinoaortic denervation (SAD). 2. Rats were examined 1, 2 and 4 weeks after SAD. Blood pressure (BP) was recorded in the conscious state. The thoracic aortas were taken for investigations, including: light microscopy, electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick-end labelling (TUNEL). 3. Blood pressure variability (BPV) was significantly increased in the SAD groups 1, 2 and 4 after the operation when compared with the sham-operated ones. 4. Two weeks after SAD the percentage proportion of smooth muscle cell density (SMC%) was obviously increased. 5. Four weeks after SAD: the SMC%, percentage proportion of collagen density (CD%) and aortic wall thickness (WT) were obviously increased with vascular smooth muscle cells blebbing concomitantly. Endothelial cells showed degenerative changes and swelling with blebbing of the cell membrane and increased condensation of peripheral nuclear chromatin and cytoplasmic vacuolization. It was also found that the number of apoptotic endothelial cells was increased and expression of eNOS was reduced. 6. This is the first study that shows the time-course of aortic wall and endothelial cell changes induced by SAD. Increased BPV might be the priming factor in the development of organ damage induced by SAD.
Shen
Fu-Ming
FM
Department of Pharmacology, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Zhang
Shu-Hui
SH
Xie
He-Hui
HH
Jing
Qing
Q
Wang
Di-Song
DS
Su
Ding-Feng
DF
D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D003714:Denervation; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012849:Sinoatrial Node / Q000502:physiology*
D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III