title: Pioglitazone improves superoxide dismutase mediated vascular reactivity in the obese Zucker rat.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the hypothesis that the thiazolidinedione agent, pioglitazone, mediates its chronic BP lowering action via improving vascular reactivity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lean (Fa/fa) and obese (fa/fa) Zucker rats were treated with or without pioglitazone (20 mg/ kg/day) for 4 weeks (n=8 animals per group). Pioglitazone treatment was associated with a significant improvement in oral glucose tolerance in the obese animals (p<0.05 compared with untreated obese). Pioglitazone prevented the development of hypertension seen in obese untreated rats (SBP 126+/-1 versus 138+/-1 mmHg; p<0.0001). Aortic ring preparations from pioglitazone-treated obese rats showed improved relaxation responsiveness (ED(50) 0.28 versus 1.15 U/ ml, p<0.001) to SOD, a NO potentiator, compared with untreated obese animals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SOD-mediated vasorelaxation may contribute to the chronic antihypertensive effect and/or the improvement in insulin sensitivity following pioglitazone treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, California, USA.
authors.forename: Amir H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Dorafshar
authors.forename: Kogie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Moodley
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khoe
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lyon
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bryer-Ash
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006973:Hypertension / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009599:Nitroprusside / Q000494:pharmacology; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism*; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000077205:Pioglitazone; D011189:Potassium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011924:Rats, Zucker; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism*; D045162:Thiazolidinediones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D045162:Thiazolidinediones; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D009599:Nitroprusside; D010656:Phenylephrine; D011189:Potassium Chloride; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D000109:Acetylcholine; D000077205:Pioglitazone