[Pioglitazone protects against elastocalcinosis and improves aortic wall elasticity].
Specific treatment of age-related aortic wall arteriosclerosis and stiffening is lacking. As anti-inflammatory ligands for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma have beneficial effects on the arterial wall in atherosclerosis, we investigated whether chronic pioglitazone treatment protects against another form of vascular wall disease, arteriosclerosis. In a rat model of elastocalcinotic arteriosclerosis (hypervitaminosis D and nicotine, VDN), we evaluated whether pioglitazone attenuated arteriosclerosis and its consequences, aortic wall rigidity, increased aortic pulse pressure and left ventricular hypertrophy. In VDN rats, medial calcification was associated with monocyte/macrophage infiltration and induction of TNF-alpha and IL-1B. Pioglitazone decreased TNF-alpha and IL-1B mRNA expression, blunted aortic wall calcification and prevented fragmentation of elastic fibers. Pioglitazone reduced aortic wall stiffness, aortic pulse pressure and left ventricular hypertrophy. Our results may be clinically relevant in elderly patients suffering from aortic wall stiffening and isolated systolic hypertension.
Lartaud
I
I
Laboratoire de pharmacologie cardiovasculaire, Faculté de pharmacie, Université Henri Poincaré Nancy-1, 5 rue Albert Lebrun, F 54000 Nancy.
Gaillard
V
V
Dauca
M
M
Atkinson
J
J
D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001158:Arteries / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004548:Elasticity; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000503:physiopathology; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000502:physiology*; D000077205:Pioglitazone; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D045162:Thiazolidinediones / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D047495:PPAR gamma; D045162:Thiazolidinediones; D000077205:Pioglitazone