title: Chronic administration of genistein improves endothelial dysfunction in spontaneously hypertensive rats: involvement of eNOS, caveolin and calmodulin expression and NADPH oxidase activity.
abstract: The soya-derived phytoestrogen genistein has been suggested to be protective in cardiovascular diseases. In the present study, we have analysed whether chronic oral genistein might influence endothelial function in male SHRs (spontaneously hypertensive rats) via ERs (oestrogen receptors), changes in eNOS (endothelial NO synthase) activity and vascular O(2)(-) (superoxide) production. Rats (23-weeks old) were divided into the following groups: WKY (Wistar-Kyoto)-vehicle, SHR-vehicle, WKY-genistein (10 mg.kg(-1) of body weight.day(-1)); SHR-genistein; SHR-genistein-faslodex (ICI 182780; 2.5 mg.kg(-1) of body weight.day(-1)). Vascular expression of eNOS, caveolin-1 and calmodulin-1 were analysed by Western blotting, eNOS activity by conversion of [(3)H]arginine into L-[(3)H]citrulline and O(2)(-) production by chemoluminescence of lucigenin. In SHRs, after 5 weeks of treatment, genistein reduced systolic blood pressure and enhanced endothelium-dependent aortic relaxation to acetylcholine, but had no effect on the vasodilator responses to sodium nitroprusside. Compared with WKY rats, SHRs had up-regulated eNOS and down-regulated caveolin-1 and calmodulin-1 expression, increased NADPH-induced O(2)(-) production, but reduced eNOS activity. Genistein increased aortic calmodulin-1 protein abundance and eNOS activity, and reduced NADPH-induced O(2)(-) production in SHRs. The pure ERalpha and ERbeta antagonist faslodex did not modify any of the changes induced by genistein in SHRs, suggesting that these effects are unrelated to ER stimulation. In conclusion, genistein reduced the elevated blood pressure and endothelial dysfunction in SHRs. This latter effect appears to be related to increased eNOS activity associated with increased calmodulin-1 expression and decreased O(2)(-) generation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Rocio
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vera
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.forename: Milagros
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Galisteo
authors.forename: Inmaculada Concepcion
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Villar
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jimenez
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zarzuelo
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pérez-Vizcaíno
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Duarte
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002147:Calmodulin / Q000378:metabolism; D022461:Caveolins / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D019833:Genistein / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D019255:NADPH Oxidases / Q000378:metabolism; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D002147:Calmodulin; D022461:Caveolins; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D019833:Genistein; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D019255:NADPH Oxidases