Resistance Artery Compliance, Myogenic Tone and Vascular Remodeling in Diabetes: Relevance to Disease Progression

Hyperglycemia promotes vascular hypertrophy and medial thickening of ‘resistance arteries’ which may lead to worsened cardiovascular outcomes in Type 1 diabetes. However, little is known whether and to what extent reorganization of extracellular matrix components contributes to vascular compliance and myogenic tone. Moreover, onset and progression of these vascular changes in Type 2 diabetes remains unknown. Accordingly, this study assessed structural remodeling by histochemistry and arteriograph studies, vascular compliance (stiffness), and myogenic tone of mesenteric microvessels in spontaneously diabetic and nonobese Goto‐Kakizaki (GK) rats aged 10, 18 and 24 weeks. Media‐to‐lumen ratios (M/L) and vessel stiffness were increased at 18 weeks in GK rats but normalized at 24 weeks. Picrosirius red staining indicated augmented medial and adventitial collagen deposition in this group. Myogenic tone was increased starting at 18 weeks. Lumen and vessel diameters and vessel cross‐sectional areas are increased at 24 weeks in GK rats. These results suggest adaptational hypertrophic remodeling in the mesenteric microvessels with diabetes progression to overcome possible increased in blood flow.