Vitamin C prevents DNA damage induced by renovascular hypertension in multiple organs of Wistar rats.
The aim of this study was to investigate, through the single-cell gel (comet) assay, whether vitamin C is able to protect against renovascular hypertension-induced genotoxicity in multiple organs. A total of 32 male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: negative control (n = 6); animals treated with vitamin C (n = 6); hypertensive rats (n = 10) and hypertensive rats and treated with vitamin C (n = 10). Hypertension was induced as a result of partial obstruction of the left renal artery by means of a silver clip during 6 weeks. Vitamin C was administered at 150 mg/kg during 7 consecutive days before the end of the experimental period. The results showed that vitamin C was able to protect blood cells against hypertension-induced genotoxicity. Brain, liver and heart cells were also protected by vitamin C following hypertension-induced genotoxic damage. Regarding blood pressure, vitamin C reduced the hypertensive state. In conclusion, our results suggest that vitamin C can prevent hypertension-induced DNA damage in blood, liver, brain and heart cells as well as to normalize the blood pressure of rats.
Nishi
Erika Emy
EE
Department of Physiology, Cardiovascular Division, Paulista Medical School, Federal University of Sao Paulo, UNIFESP, SP, Brazil.
Campos
Ruy Ribeiro
RR
Bergamaschi
Cassia Toledo
CT
de Almeida
Vitor Rossi
VR
Ribeiro
Daniel Araki
DA
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D020552:Comet Assay; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects*; D006978:Hypertension, Renovascular / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000009:adverse effects; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D000975:Antioxidants; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D001205:Ascorbic Acid