Chronic vagus nerve stimulation attenuates vascular endothelial impairments and reduces the inflammatory profile via inhibition of the NF-κB signaling pathway in ovariectomized rats.
Exp Gerontol
; 74: 43-55, 2016 Feb.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-26692419
ABSTRACT
Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), a method for activating cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathways, could suppress endothelial activation and minimize tissue injury during inflammation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of chronic VNS on endothelial impairments and the inflammatory profile in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. Sprague-Dawley rats (7-8 months old) were randomly assigned to the following four groups sham-OVX, OVX, OVX+sham-VNS, and OVX+VNS. Throughout the experimental period, the OVX+VNS group received VNS for 3h (20.0 Hz, 1.0 mA, and 10.00 ms pulse width) at the same time every other day. After 12 weeks of VNS, blood samples and thoracic aortas were collected for further analyses. Light microscopy and electron microscopy analyses showed that chronic VNS prevented endothelial swelling, desquamation and even necrosis in the OVX rats. In addition, it obviously improved endothelial function in the OVX rats by restoring the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (e-NOS) and serum endothelin-1 level. Increased expression of cell adhesion molecules (VCAM-1, ICAM-1 and E-selectin) in the thoracic aortas and increases in the levels of circulating cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, MCP-1, and CINC/KC) were also observed in the OVX rats. Chronic VNS significantly restored these detrimental changes partly by increasing the ACh concentrations in vascular walls and blocking NF-κB pathway activity. The results of this in vivo study have shown that the administration of chronic VNS during, in the early stage of estrogen deficiency, protects OVX rats from endothelial impairments and the inflammatory profile. These findings indicate that activation of the vagus nerve could be a promising supplemental therapy for reducing the risks of suffering from further CVDs in postmenopausal women.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Aorta Torácica
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Endotelio Vascular
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Ovariectomía
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Enfermedades Cardiovasculares
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Transducción de Señal
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FN-kappa B
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Mediadores de Inflamación
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Estimulación del Nervio Vago
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Inflamación
Tipo de estudio:
Prognostic_studies
Límite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Exp Gerontol
Año:
2016
Tipo del documento:
Article