title: Sesamin ameliorates arterial dysfunction in spontaneously hypertensive rats via downregulation of NADPH oxidase subunits and upregulation of eNOS expression.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sesamin is one of the major lignans in sesame seeds with antihyperlipidemic, antioxidative and antihypertensive activities. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of sesamin on arterial function in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs).
  
  
  METHODS
  SHRs were orally administered sesamin (40, 80 and 160 mg·kg(-1)·d(-1)) for 16 weeks. After the rats were killed, thoracic aortas were dissected out. The vasorelaxation responses of aortic rings to ACh and nitroprusside were measured. The expression of eNOS and NADPH oxidase subunits p47(phox) and p22(phox) in aortas were detected using Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Aortic nitrotyrosine was measured with ELISA. The total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and MDA levels in aortas were also determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The aortic rings of SHRs showed significantly smaller ACh-induced and nitroprusside-induced relaxation than those of control rats. Treatment of SHRs with sesamin increased both the endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent relaxation of aortic rings in a dose-dependent manner. In aortas of SHRs, the level of T-AOC and the expression of nitrotyrosine, p22(phox) and p47(phox) proteins were markedly increased, while the level of MDA and the expression of eNOS protein were significantly decreased. Treatment of SHRs with sesamin dose-dependently reversed these biochemical and molecular abnormalities in aortas.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Long-term treatment with sesamin improves arterial function in SHR through the upregulation of eNOS expression and downregulation of p22(phox) and p47(phox) expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Third-Grade Pharmacology Laboratory of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, China.
authors.forename: Jun-xiu
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jie-ren
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Guo-xiang
authors.initials: GX
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Li-juan
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Wen-xing
authors.initials: WX
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Kong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004149:Dioxoles / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology; D017705:Lignans / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D019255:NADPH Oxidases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000096:biosynthesis; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D021122:Protein Subunits / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004149:Dioxoles; D017705:Lignans; D021122:Protein Subunits; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; C496316:Nos3 protein, rat; D019255:NADPH Oxidases; C515768:Cyba protein, rat; C060505:neutrophil cytosolic factor 1; C054125:sesamin