title: Sexual dimorphism of cardiovascular ischemia susceptibility is mediated by heme oxygenase.
abstract: We investigated the gender differences in heme-oxygenase (HO) enzyme, which produces endogenous vascular protective carbon monoxide (CO). We studied (1) the activity and expression of HO enzymes in the left ventricle (LV) and aorta, (2) basal increase in basal blood pressure provoked by arginine vasopressine (AVP) in vivo, (3) the heart perfusion induced by AVP, (4) the ST segment depression provoked by adrenaline and 30 seconds later phentolamine, and (5) the aorta ring contraction induced by AVP in female and male Wistar rats. We found that HO activity and the expression of HO-1 and HO-2 were increased in female rat aorta and LV. We demonstrated that the basal blood pressure and administration of AVP provoked blood pressure response are increased in the males; the female myocardium was less sensitive towards angina. Both differences could be aggravated by the inhibition of HO. The aorta rings were more susceptible towards vasoconstriction by AVP in males; isolated heart perfusion decrease was higher in males. The HO inhibition aggravated the heart perfusion in both sexes. In conclusion, the increased HO activity and expression in females might play a role in the sexual dimorphism of cardiovascular ischemia susceptibility during the reproductive age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Neuroscience, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Közép Fasor 52, Szeged H 6726, Hungary.
authors.forename: Anikó
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pósa
authors.forename: Krisztina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kupai
authors.forename: Rudolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ménesi
authors.forename: Zita
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Szalai
authors.forename: Renáta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Szabó
authors.forename: Zoltán
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Pintér
authors.forename: György
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pálfi
authors.forename: Mariann
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gyöngyösi
authors.forename: Anikó
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berkó
authors.forename: Imre
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pávó
authors.forename: Csaba
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Varga
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006419:Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing) / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008665:Metalloporphyrins / Q000494:pharmacology; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010477:Perfusion; D011524:Protoporphyrins / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014667:Vasopressins / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D008665:Metalloporphyrins; D011524:Protoporphyrins; D014667:Vasopressins; C032628:tin protoporphyrin IX; D006419:Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing); D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1; C105245:heme oxygenase-2