title: Baroreflex sensitivity and oxidative stress in the LDL receptor knockout mice.
abstract: This study aims at observing the effect of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor deficiency in cholesterol blood levels, baroreflex sensitivity (BRS), nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability, and oxidative stress. The lack of LDL receptors in mice significantly increased the cholesterol blood levels (179+/-35 vs. 109+/-13mg/dL) in the knockout (KO) mice compared to control. There was no difference in basal mean arterial pressure and heart rate between the groups. However, in KO mice the BRS was significantly attenuated and the antioxidant enzyme activities, measured in erythrocytes and heart, were significantly decreased. On the other hand, the oxidative damage measured by chemiluminescence and carbonyls was increased, while total plasma nitrate levels were lower in KO mice, indicating a decrease in NO availability. In conclusion, these results indicate that the lack of LDL receptor increased cholesterol blood levels, induced oxidative stress and decreased BRS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Basic and Health Science Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.forename: Mariane
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bertagnolli
authors.forename: Juliano
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Evangelho
authors.forename: Cintia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tusset
authors.forename: Adriane
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Belló-Klein
authors.forename: Maria Cláudia
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Irigoyen
authors.forename: Katya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rigatto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017704:Baroreflex / Q000502:physiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology*; D011973:Receptors, LDL / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011973:Receptors, LDL; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D002784:Cholesterol