Adropin, nesfatin-1 and angiotensin II receptor expression in the abdominal aorta in ovariectomized rats after nesfatin-1 treatment.

The aim of the research was to assess the effect of nesfatin-1 on the structure, flexibility parameters, and expression of adropin, nesfatin-1, and angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AT1R) in the abdominal aorta in ovariectomized rats. Fragments of aortas were collected after euthanasia of female sham-operated (CONT) and ovariectomized Wistar rats (EXP), which were administered intraperitoneal injection of physiological saline (CONT, n = 7; EXP-O, n = 7) or nesfatin-1 (EXP-N, n = 7) in an amount of 2 µg/kg b.w. once a day for 8 weeks. The samples of aortas were collected for measurement of elasticity as well as histomorphometric, immunohistochemical, FTIR, and Raman spectroscopy analysis. The ovariectomy caused a significant increase in the thickness of the total wall and its particular layers in the aorta, in comparison to the CONT and EXP-N groups. However, the ovariectomy led to a decrease in the amount of elastin, collagen (mature, immature collagen, collagen maturity ratio 1660 - 1690 cm-1), and amides, with a simultaneous increase in lipids, especially in the tunica intima-media of the abdominal aorta compared to the other groups. The use of nesfatin-1 significantly increased the amount of collagen, elastin and amides with a simultaneous decrease in the amount of lipids and the expression of AT1R, adropin and nesfatin-1 in the abdominal aorta of ovariectomized rats. In conclusion, our study showed that the ovariectomy surgery induced changes in the abdominal aorta wall characteristic for aging females. Application of nesfatin-1 may prevent the negative consequences in the vessel wall structure in females in conditions of estrogen deficiency and prevent atherosclerotic changes in the cardiovascular system.

Solid state NMR study and density functional theory (DFT) calculations of structure and dynamics of poly(p-xylylenes).

High resolution solid state (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance (SS NMR) measurements were carried out on poly(p-xylylene) (PPX). The samples comprised vapor-deposited specimens as well as pure alpha and beta polymorphs of this polymer. The measurements were performed using cross-polarization and magic angle spinning (CP/MAS) techniques. Density functional theory gauge-including-atomic-orbital (DFT GIAO) calculations of NMR shielding parameters (13)C sigma(ii) were performed for the optimized geometry and structure of a xylylene trimer, acquired from the X-ray data, including intermolecular interactions. Two-dimensional phase adjusted spinning sideband (2D PASS) correlation was employed for the assignment of the values of the principal elements (13)C delta(ii) of the chemical shift tensor (CST). A comparative analysis of shielding (sigma(ii)) versus chemical shift (delta(ii)) parameters showed substantial differences between the molecular dynamics of alpha and beta polymorphs. This observation was further supported by the measurements of (13)C T(1) relaxation times and the analysis of cross-polarization kinetics. Frequency switched Lee-Goldburg heteronuclear correlation (FSLG HETCOR) for the (1)H-(13)C system was used in order to analyze molecular packing in both polymorphs. As a result of all of the above measurements, new insight into the mechanism of thermal phase transition from the alpha to the beta polymorph of poly(p-xylylene) is presented.