Sex-specific cardiovascular adaptations to simulated microgravity in Sprague-Dawley rats
Abstract Men and women have different cardiovascular responses to spaceflight; however, few studies have focused on direct comparisons between sexes. We investigated the mechanisms of aortic stiffening in socially and sexually mature 20-week-old male and female Sprague Dawley (SD) rats exposed to hi...
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Nature Portfolio
2024-12-01
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| Series: | npj Microgravity |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41526-024-00450-z |
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| author | Ebrahim Elsangeedy Dina N. Yamaleyeva Nicholas P. Edenhoffer Allyson Deak Anna Soloshenko Jonathan Ray Xuming Sun Omar H. Shaltout Nildris Cruz-Diaz Brian Westwood Daniel Kim-Shapiro Debra I. Diz Shay Soker Victor M. Pulgar April Ronca Jeffrey S. Willey Liliya M. Yamaleyeva |
| author_facet | Ebrahim Elsangeedy Dina N. Yamaleyeva Nicholas P. Edenhoffer Allyson Deak Anna Soloshenko Jonathan Ray Xuming Sun Omar H. Shaltout Nildris Cruz-Diaz Brian Westwood Daniel Kim-Shapiro Debra I. Diz Shay Soker Victor M. Pulgar April Ronca Jeffrey S. Willey Liliya M. Yamaleyeva |
| author_sort | Ebrahim Elsangeedy |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Men and women have different cardiovascular responses to spaceflight; however, few studies have focused on direct comparisons between sexes. We investigated the mechanisms of aortic stiffening in socially and sexually mature 20-week-old male and female Sprague Dawley (SD) rats exposed to hindlimb unloading (HLU) for 14 days. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) was greater in the aortic arch of females after HLU versus control females (n = 6–8). HLU had no effect on aortic PWV in males (n = 5–6). Aortic α smooth muscle actin, myosin, collagen, elastin, and collagen-to-elastin ratio were not different in rats of either sex following HLU. The levels of G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) were lower in the aorta of SD females exposed to HLU compared with female controls but were not altered in males. HLU females also had lower aortic PPARγ, increased oxidative stress markers, and diastolic dysfunction compared with control females. GPER agonist G1 prevented the increase in PWV and 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine without altering PPARγ or p47phox in HLU females (n = 4 in each group) suggesting that lower GPER may contribute to arterial stiffening in the setting of simulated microgravity. This study highlights sex-specific vascular adaptations to the state of simulated microgravity. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-11bf1bf4b70844e6a8de2fa51ae895d4 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2373-8065 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | npj Microgravity |
| spelling | doaj-art-11bf1bf4b70844e6a8de2fa51ae895d42025-08-20T01:57:16ZengNature Portfolionpj Microgravity2373-80652024-12-0110111610.1038/s41526-024-00450-zSex-specific cardiovascular adaptations to simulated microgravity in Sprague-Dawley ratsEbrahim Elsangeedy0Dina N. Yamaleyeva1Nicholas P. Edenhoffer2Allyson Deak3Anna Soloshenko4Jonathan Ray5Xuming Sun6Omar H. Shaltout7Nildris Cruz-Diaz8Brian Westwood9Daniel Kim-Shapiro10Debra I. Diz11Shay Soker12Victor M. Pulgar13April Ronca14Jeffrey S. Willey15Liliya M. Yamaleyeva16Department of Surgery, Hypertension and Vascular Research Center, Wake Forest University School of MedicineDepartment of Surgery, Hypertension and Vascular Research Center, Wake Forest University School of MedicineWake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest University School of MedicineDepartment of Surgery, Hypertension and Vascular Research Center, Wake Forest University School of MedicineDepartment of Surgery, Hypertension and Vascular Research Center, Wake Forest University School of MedicineDepartment of Surgery, Hypertension and Vascular Research Center, Wake Forest University School of MedicineDepartment of Surgery, Hypertension and Vascular Research Center, Wake Forest University School of MedicineDepartment of Surgery, Hypertension and Vascular Research Center, Wake Forest University School of MedicineDepartment of Surgery, Hypertension and Vascular Research Center, Wake Forest University School of MedicineDepartment of Surgery, Hypertension and Vascular Research Center, Wake Forest University School of MedicineDepartment of Physics, Wake Forest UniversityDepartment of Surgery, Hypertension and Vascular Research Center, Wake Forest University School of MedicineWake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest University School of MedicineDepartment of Surgery, Hypertension and Vascular Research Center, Wake Forest University School of MedicineNASA Ames Research Center, Space Biosciences DivisionDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Wake Forest University School of MedicineDepartment of Surgery, Hypertension and Vascular Research Center, Wake Forest University School of MedicineAbstract Men and women have different cardiovascular responses to spaceflight; however, few studies have focused on direct comparisons between sexes. We investigated the mechanisms of aortic stiffening in socially and sexually mature 20-week-old male and female Sprague Dawley (SD) rats exposed to hindlimb unloading (HLU) for 14 days. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) was greater in the aortic arch of females after HLU versus control females (n = 6–8). HLU had no effect on aortic PWV in males (n = 5–6). Aortic α smooth muscle actin, myosin, collagen, elastin, and collagen-to-elastin ratio were not different in rats of either sex following HLU. The levels of G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) were lower in the aorta of SD females exposed to HLU compared with female controls but were not altered in males. HLU females also had lower aortic PPARγ, increased oxidative stress markers, and diastolic dysfunction compared with control females. GPER agonist G1 prevented the increase in PWV and 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine without altering PPARγ or p47phox in HLU females (n = 4 in each group) suggesting that lower GPER may contribute to arterial stiffening in the setting of simulated microgravity. This study highlights sex-specific vascular adaptations to the state of simulated microgravity.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41526-024-00450-z |
| spellingShingle | Ebrahim Elsangeedy Dina N. Yamaleyeva Nicholas P. Edenhoffer Allyson Deak Anna Soloshenko Jonathan Ray Xuming Sun Omar H. Shaltout Nildris Cruz-Diaz Brian Westwood Daniel Kim-Shapiro Debra I. Diz Shay Soker Victor M. Pulgar April Ronca Jeffrey S. Willey Liliya M. Yamaleyeva Sex-specific cardiovascular adaptations to simulated microgravity in Sprague-Dawley rats npj Microgravity |
| title | Sex-specific cardiovascular adaptations to simulated microgravity in Sprague-Dawley rats |
| title_full | Sex-specific cardiovascular adaptations to simulated microgravity in Sprague-Dawley rats |
| title_fullStr | Sex-specific cardiovascular adaptations to simulated microgravity in Sprague-Dawley rats |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sex-specific cardiovascular adaptations to simulated microgravity in Sprague-Dawley rats |
| title_short | Sex-specific cardiovascular adaptations to simulated microgravity in Sprague-Dawley rats |
| title_sort | sex specific cardiovascular adaptations to simulated microgravity in sprague dawley rats |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41526-024-00450-z |
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