title: Sex-related differences in reactivity of cerebral arterioles during moderate exercise training.
abstract: Our goals were to determine the influence of sex on reactivity of cerebral arterioles and whether MExT could influence sex-related differences in reactivity of cerebral arterioles.
  
  
  
  Responses of cerebral arterioles were measured in Sed and MExT adult male and female Sprague-Dawley rats to eNOS-dependent (ADP), nNOS-dependent (NMDA), and NOS-independent (nitroglycerin) agonists before and following L-NMMA. In addition, protein expression for eNOS and nNOS was determined.
  
  
  
  NOS-dependent vasodilation was enhanced in Sed and MExT female rats compared to their male counterparts. L-NMMA produced a greater decrease in baseline diameter of arterioles in females compared to males, and produced less inhibition of NOS-dependent vasodilation in females. Expression of eNOS protein was significantly increased in Sed female when compared to Sed male rats; nNOS protein was similar in Sed males and females, but increased in MExT females.
  
  
  
  The findings from this study indicate that while NOS-dependent vascular reactivity is increased in females, MExT does not alter vasodilation in males or females. These studies provide insights into the influence of sex and MExT on the cerebral microcirculation and may have implications regarding mechanisms that protect the brain in females compared to males.
authors: Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, The University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, USA.
authors: Denise M
authors: DM
authors: Arrick
authors: Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy, the Center for Cardiovascular Diseases and Sciences, LSU Health Sciences Center-Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, USA.
authors: Chun
authors: C
authors: Li
authors: Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, The University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, USA. William.Mayhan@usd.edu.
authors: William G
authors: WG
authors: Mayhan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001160:Arterioles / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012737:Sex Factors; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D019323:omega-N-Methylarginine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D019323:omega-N-Methylarginine; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; C496322:Nos1 protein, rat; C496316:Nos3 protein, rat
keywords: L-NMMA; brain; eNOS; nNOS; nitric oxide