Gender differences in the effects of streptozotocin-induced diabetes on parasympathetic vasodilatation in the rat submandibular gland.
OBJECTIVE
Submandibular vasodilatory responses are impaired in male streptozotocin-diabetic rats. However, the effects of diabetes on submandibular vascular reactivity in female rats have not been examined. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there are gender differences in the effects of diabetes on parasympathetic vasodilatation in the rat submandibular gland.


METHODS
Diabetes was induced using streptozotocin, and vascular responses (calculated as the % increase in submandibular vascular conductance) to parasympathetic stimulation (1-10 Hz) were measured using laser-Doppler flowmetry. To estimate the relative contributions of nitric oxide (NO), prostacyclin (PGI2) and endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF), vascular conductance was measured before and after inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX) and NO synthase (NOS).


RESULTS
Frequency-dependent increases in blood flow were observed in both male and female rats, but the contribution of EDHF was greater in females than in males. Further, PGI2 appeared to play a role only in males. Vasodilatory responses were diminished in all diabetic animals, and when compared with their respective controls the degree of impairment was similar in males and females. However, in diabetic males inhibition of COX and NOS had little or no effect, whereas inhibition of NO, but not COX, resulted in a further significant decrease in vascular responses in diabetic females.


CONCLUSIONS
Parasympathetic vasodilatation in the rat submandibular gland is diminished equally in diabetic males and females. However, in males diabetes predominantly impairs PGI2- and NO-dependent vasodilatation, whereas in females the contribution of EDHF-mediated pathways are affected and NO-dependent vasodilatation is preferentially maintained.
Witcher
Daniel
D
Department of Physiological Sciences, University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, 2155 Webster Street, San Francisco, CA 94115, United States.
Sakai
Nicole
N
Williams
Bryce
B
Rahimian
Roshanak
R
Anderson
Leigh
L
D000818:Animals; D001685:Biological Factors / Q000502:physiology; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000294:innervation; D045462:Endothelium-Dependent Relaxing Factors / Q000502:physiology; D011464:Epoprostenol / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D010275:Parasympathetic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012737:Sex Factors; D013363:Submandibular Gland / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000502:physiology*
D001685:Biological Factors; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D045462:Endothelium-Dependent Relaxing Factors; C067410:endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization factor; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D011464:Epoprostenol; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases