title: l-carnitine and its propionate: improvement of endothelial function in SHR through superoxide dismutase-dependent mechanisms.
abstract: To clarify the mechanism underlying the antioxidant properties of l-carnitine (LC) and propionyl-l-carnitine (PLC) on spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and normotensive WKY, animals were treated with either PLC or LC (200 mg kg(- 1)). Aorta was dissected and contraction to (R)-( - )-phenylephrine (Phe) and relaxation to carbachol (CCh) were assessed in the presence or not of the NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor, l-NAME. [image omitted] production was evaluated by lucigenin-enhanced chemiluminescence and its participation on relaxation was observed after incubation with superoxide dismutase (SOD) plus catalase. Protein expressions of eNOS, Cu/Zn-SOD and Mn-SOD were studied by western blot. Both LC and PLC treatments improved endothelial function of SHR through increasing NO participation and decreasing [image omitted] probably involving higher Cu/Zn-SOD expression. PLC treatment augmented eNOS expression in SHR. Surprisingly, LC increased [image omitted] produced by aorta from WKY and thus diminished NO and damaged endothelial function. Conversely, PLC did not affect CCh-induced relaxation in WKY. These results demonstrate that LC and PLC prevent endothelial dysfunction in SHR through an antioxidant effect.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Farmacologia, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain. aldesoto@us.es
authors.forename: Maria Alvarez
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: de Sotomayor
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mingorance
authors.forename: Rosalía
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Rodriguez
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marhuenda
authors.forename: Maria Dolores
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Herrera
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002331:Carnitine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism*; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D013481:Superoxides; C003223:propionylcarnitine; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D002331:Carnitine; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester