title: Endothelial dysfunction in rats with ligature-induced periodontitis: Participation of nitric oxide and cycloxygenase-2-derived products.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Considering the evident relationship between periodontitis and cardiovascular diseases in humans, we aimed to study the in vitro vascular reactivity of aorta rings prepared from rats with ligature-induced periodontitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven days after the induction of unilateral periodontitis, the animals were euthanised; rings were prepared from the descending abdominal aortas and mounted in tissue baths for the in vitro measurement of the isometric force responses to norepinephrine (NE) and acetylcholine (ACh), as well as in the presence of inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and cycloxygenase (COX) isoenzymes. Aortic COX and NOS gene expressions were analysed by RT-PCR, as well as protein COX-2 expression by Western blot.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Periodontitis resulted in significant alveolar bone loss and did not affect arterial pressure. However, both NE-induced contraction and ACh-induced relaxation were significantly decreased and related to the presence of endothelium. Diminished eNOS and augmented COX-2 and iNOS expressions were found in the aortas from rats with periodontitis, and the pharmacological inhibition of COX-2 or iNOS improved the observed vasomotor deficiencies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We can thus conclude that periodontitis induces significant endothelial dysfunction in rat aorta which is characterized by decreased eNOS expression and mediated by upregulated iNOS and COX-2 products.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Campi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Department of Physiology and Pathology, Araraquara School of Dentistry, Sao Paulo State University, Araraquara, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Bruno Schneider
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Herrera
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Flavia Neto
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: de Jesus
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Napolitano
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Simone Aparecida
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maia-Dantas
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pathology, Araraquara School of Dentistry, Sao Paulo State University, Araraquara, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luis Carlos
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Spolidorio
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Eliana Hiromi
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Akamine
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcia Pinto Alves
authors.initials: MPA
authors.lastname: Mayer
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Helena Catelli
authors.initials: MHC
authors.lastname: de Carvalho
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Soraia Katia Pereira
authors.initials: SKP
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: muscara@usp.br.
authors.forename: Marcelo Nicolas
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Muscara
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta; D015153:Blotting, Western; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008026:Ligation; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000378:metabolism*; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000378:metabolism*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000150:complications*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014661:Vasoconstriction; D014664:Vasodilation
chemical_list: D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; C496318:Nos2 protein, rat; C496316:Nos3 protein, rat; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D000109:Acetylcholine; D009638:Norepinephrine
keywords: Aorta; Cyclooxygenase 2; Endothelium; Inflammation; Nitric oxide; Periodontitis; Vascular