Cardiopulmonary reflex is attenuated in iron overload conscious rats.
Increased iron intake can lead to iron accumulation in serum and tissues. Its has been described that serum and tissue iron overload increase reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and reduce the effectiveness of the cardiovascular neural mechanisms involved in the maintenance of the arterial blood pressure whithin a narrow range of variation, therefore, iron overload may disrupt cardiovascular homeostasis contributing to physiopathological status development. In the present study we evaluated whether iron accumulated in serum or tissue of awake animals affect the cardiovascular homeostasis through changes in the cardiopulmonary reflex (CPR). We observed that the CPR is reduced in both serum and tissue iron overloaded groups, but no changes were found in the left ventricular pressure measurements, suggesting that iron-related effects are restrict to the CPR neural pathways. We also observed that the serum overloaded group presented lower basal heart rate levels, suggesting an increased parasympathetic efferent activity directed to the heart in this group. Taken together, our data suggest an important role for the iron-generated ROS to the cardiovascular homeostasis, especially regarding the CPR in awake animals.
Cardoso
Leonardo Máximo
LM
Department of Biological Sciences, NUPEB, Federal University of Ouro Preto, 35400-000 Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil.
Fernandes
Luciano Gonçalves
LG
Alves
Arthur Moreira
AM
Pedrosa
Maria Lúcia
ML
Silva
Marcelo Eustáquio
ME
Colombari
Eduardo
E
Moraes
Márcio Flávio Dutra
MF
Chianca Júnior
Deoclécio Alves
DA
D000818:Animals; D001285:Atropine / Q000494:pharmacology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D019190:Iron Overload / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D010275:Parasympathetic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D012018:Reflex / Q000502:physiology*
D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D001285:Atropine