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Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonism prevents obesity‐induced cerebral artery remodeling and reduces white matter injury in rats
Author(s) -
Pires Paulo W.,
McClain Jonathon L.,
Hayoz Sebastian F.,
Dorrance Anne M.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
microcirculation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.793
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1549-8719
pISSN - 1073-9688
DOI - 10.1111/micc.12460
Subject(s) - medicine , endocrinology , mineralocorticoid receptor , cerebral arteries , white adipose tissue , aldosterone , adipose tissue
Objective Midlife obesity is a risk factor for dementia development. Obesity has also been linked to hyperaldosteronism, and this can be modeled in rats by high fat ( HF ) feeding from weaning. Aldosterone, or activation of the mineralocorticoid receptor ( MR ) causes cerebrovascular injury in lean hypertensive rats. We hypothesized that rats fed a HF diet would show inward middle cerebral artery ( MCA ) remodeling that could be prevented by MR antagonism. We further proposed that the cerebral artery remodeling would be associated with white mater injury. Methods Three‐week‐old male Sprague‐Dawley rats were fed a HF diet ± the MR antagonist canrenoic acid (Canr) for 17 weeks. Control rats received normal chow (control NC ). MCA structure was assessed by pressure myography. Results The MCA s from HF fed rats had smaller lumens and thicker walls when compared to arteries from control NC rats; Canr prevented the MCA remodeling associated with HF feeding. HF feeding increased the mRNA expression of markers of cell proliferation and vascular inflammation in cerebral arteries and Canr treatment prevented this. White mater injury was increased in the rats fed the HF diet and this was reduced by Canr treatment. The expression of doublecortin, a marker of new and immature neurons was reduced in HF fed rats, and MR antagonism normalized this. Conclusions These data suggest that HF feeding leads to MR dependent remodeling of the MCA and this is associated with markers of dementia development.