Evaluation of the isoflavones and estrogen effects on the rat adrenal.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the morphometry and the gene expression of Ki-67, VEGF and caspase 3 and the stress oxidative in the adrenal gland of ovariectomized rats treated with estrogen or isoflavones. We used 15 Wistar rats ovariectomized treated with isoflavones or estrogen during 30 days. At the end of the treatment, the left adrenal gland was removed for subsequent histological studies and the right was used to evaluate gene expression of angiogenesis (VEGF-A), cell proliferation (Ki-67), apoptose (caspase 3 clivated) and oxidative stress. Treatment with estrogen showed a largest increase in the layers of the adrenal cortex than with isoflavones. These hypertrofic effects agree with higher expression elevation of Ki67 and VEGF, which did not occur with the caspase 3, indicating that isoflavones have great proliferative effect on the adrenal gland. Similar results were also observed on superoxide quantification show that isoflavone has a protective effect against oxidative stress. Our results indicate positively the trophic therapeutic potential of isoflavones has a protective effect and can contribute to the development of effective therapies to decrease the symptoms of menopause.

Treinamento de Força Moderado Atenua o Aumento da Pressão Arterial e Diminui o Número de Núcleos em Cardiomiócitos de Ratos Hipertensos / Moderate Resistance Training Attenuates the Increase in Blood Pressure and Decreases the Cardiomyocyte Nuclei Number in Hypertensive Rats

O treinamento de força (TF) é uma estratégia que diminui a pressão arterial (PA) em pacientes com hipertensão arterial (HA) estágio 1 e atenua a progressão da PA em ratos hipertensos (estágio 3). A influência do TF na remodelação cardíaca na HA não controlada ainda não está estabelecida. Objetivo: O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar os efeitos a longo prazo do TF em intensidade moderada na remodelação cardíaca em ratos espontaneamente hipertensos (SHRs) sem tratamento. Métodos: Dez SHRs machos com HA estágio 3 (PA sistólica ≥ 180 mmHg) e cinco ratos Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) normotensos (PA sistólica < 120 mmHg) foram divididos em três grupos: sedentários normotensos (SED-WKY), sedentários hipertensos (SED-SHR) e hipertensos TF (TF-SHR). O TF foi realizado em uma escada vertical (3 dias / semana por 12 semanas, em dias não consecutivos) com 70% da carga máxima. A PA e a frequência cardíaca foram registradas. Ao final do protocolo, os animais foram sacrificados e tiveram o ventrículo esquerdo seccionado para análise histológica (hematoxilina e eosina e picrosirius red). Resultados: O TF não atenuou o ganho de peso absoluto e relativo do coração e do ventrículo esquerdo no grupo TF-SHR em comparação ao grupo SED-SHR. Não houve nenhuma diferença no volume nuclear nos cardiomiócitos e conteúdo de colágeno entre os grupos. No entanto, o TF diminuiu o número de núcleos nos cardiomiócitos e atenuou o aumento da PA sistólica no grupo TF-SHR em relação ao grupo SED-SHR. O Δ do duplo produto foi menor no grupo TF-SHR em comparação aos grupos SED-WKY e SED-SHR. Conclusões: Os dados obtidos demonstram que o TF não atenuou a hipertrofia cardíaca, mas reduziu a proliferação nuclear nos cardiomiócitos e a progressão da PA em SHR com HA severa.

Resistance training (RT) is a strategy that decreases blood pressure (BP) in patients with stage 1 hypertension and attenuates BP progression in hypertensive rats (stage 3). The influence of RT in cardiac remodeling in uncontrolled hypertension is not yet established. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term effects of RT in moderate intensity in cardiac remodeling in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) without treatment. Methods: Ten male SHRs with stage 3 hypertension (systolic BP ≥ 180 mmHg) and five normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats (systolic BP < 120 mmHg) were divided into three groups: sedentary normotensive (SED-WKY), sedentary hypertensive (SED-SHR), and RT hypertensive (RT-SHR). The RT was conducted in a vertical ladder (3 days/week for 12 weeks, on nonconsecutive days) at 70% of the maximum load. BP and heart rate were recorded. At the end of the protocol, the animals were euthanized and had their left ventricles sectioned for histological analysis (hematoxylin and eosin and picrosirius red). Results: RT did not attenuate the absolute and relative weight gains of the heart and left ventricle in the RT-SHR group compared with the sedentary group (SED-SHR). There was no difference in nuclear cardiomyocyte volume and collagen content between groups. However, RT decreased the number of nuclei in the cardiomyocytes and attenuated the increase in systolic BP in the RT-SHR when compared with the SED-SHR group. The Δ of the rate-pressure product was lower in the RT-SHR group compared with the groups SED-WKY and SED-SHR. Conclusions: The data obtained demonstrate that RT did not attenuate the cardiac hypertrophy, but reduced the nuclear proliferation in cardiomyocytes and the BP progression in SHRs with severe hypertension.