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Effects of vitamin E deficiency on vasomotor activity and ultrastructural organisation of rat thoracic aorta
Author(s) -
Rubino Annalisa,
Loesch Andrzej,
GossSampson Mark A.,
Milla Peter,
Burnstock Geoffrey
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
british journal of pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.432
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1476-5381
pISSN - 0007-1188
DOI - 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1995.tb16349.x
Subject(s) - vasomotor , acetylcholine , endocrinology , vasodilation , medicine , sodium nitroprusside , endothelium , thoracic aorta , vitamin , aorta , calcium , ultrastructure , biology , chemistry , anatomy , nitric oxide
1 The effects of vitamin E deficiency were evaluated in aortic rings isolated from rats maintained on a diet deficient in vitamin E. 2 Endothelium‐dependent vasodilator responses to acetylcholine (ACh) and calcium ionophore, A23187, were reduced in preparations from treated animals, compared to the age‐matched controls. The maximal vasodilatation to ACh was 66.4±9 ( n = 4) and 38.8±7 ( n = 4) % in control and 10 month‐treated preparations, respectively. 3 The endothelium‐independent vasodilator responses to sodium nitroprusside as well as the concentration‐dependent contractile responses to noradrenaline, did not differ between treated and control preparations. 4 Electron microscopic examination of vascular segments and revealed that, following vitamin E deficiency, normal tissue organisation was disrupted, the endothelial monolayer either not being in contact with the underlying tissue or being absent in most of the areas analysed. 5 It is concluded that during vitamin E deficiency both morphological disruption and functional impairment of endothelium occur without observable modification of muscle cell function and morphology.