Ovariectomy modify local renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system gene expressions in the heart of ApoE (-/-) mice

Effect of sacubitril/valsartan or valsartan on ventricular remodeling and myocardial fibrosis in perimenopausal women with hypertension

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the impact of sacubitril/valsartan on blood pressure (BP), ventricular structure, and myocardial fibrosis compared with valsartan in perimenopausal hypertensive women.

METHODS

This prospective, randomized, actively controlled, open-label study included 292 women with perimenopausal hypertension. They were randomly divided into two groups: sacubitril/valsartan 200 mg once daily and valsartan 160 mg once daily for 24 weeks. The relevant indicators of ambulatory BP, echocardiography, and myocardial fibrosis regulation were assessed at baseline and at 24 weeks.

RESULTS

The 24-h mean SBP after 24 weeks of treatment was 120.08 ± 10.47 mmHg in the sacubitril/valsartan group versus 121.00 ± 9.76 mmHg in the valsartan group ( P  = 0.457). After 24 weeks of treatment, there was no difference in central SBP between the sacubitril/valsartan and valsartan groups (117.17 ± 11.63 versus 116.38 ± 11.58, P  = 0.568). LVMI in the sacubitril/valsartan group was lower than that in the valsartan group at week 24 ( P  = 0.009). LVMI decreased by 7.23 g/m 2 from the baseline in the sacubitril/valsartan group and 3.70 g/m 2 in the valsartan group at 24 weeks ( P  = 0.000 versus 0.017). A statistically significant difference in LVMI between the two groups was observed at 24 weeks after adjusting for the baseline LVMI ( P  = 0.001). The levels of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), connective tissue growth factor (CT-GF) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) were reduced in the sacubitril/valsartan group compared with the baseline ( P  = 0.000, 0.005, and 0.000). LVMI between the two groups was statistically significant at 24 weeks after correcting for confounding factors 24-h mean SBP and 24-h mean DBP ( P  = 0.005). The LVMI, serum TGF-β, α-SMA, and CT-GF remained statistically significant between the two groups after further correcting the factors of age, BMI, and sex hormone levels ( P  < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Sacubitril/valsartan could reverse ventricular remodeling more effectively than valsartan. The different effects of these two therapies on ventricular remodeling in perimenopausal hypertensive women might be because of their different effects on the down-regulation of fibrosis-related factors.

Heart Failure in Menopause: Treatment and New Approaches

Aging is an important risk factor for the development of heart failure (HF) and half of patients with HF have preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) which is more common in elderly women. In general, sex differences that lead to discrepancies in risk factors and to the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) have been attributed to the reduced level of circulating estrogen during menopause. Estrogen receptors adaptively modulate fibrotic, apoptotic, inflammatory processes and calcium homeostasis, factors that are directly involved in the HFpEF. Therefore, during menopause, estrogen depletion reduces the cardioprotection. Preclinical menopause models demonstrated that several signaling pathways and organ systems are closely involved in the development of HFpEF, including dysregulation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), chronic inflammatory process and alteration in the sympathetic nervous system. Thus, this review explores thealterations observed in the condition of HFpEF induced by menopause and the therapeutic targets with potential to interfere with the disease progress.

Effect of 17β-estradiol on the daily pattern of ACE2, ADAM17, TMPRSS2 and estradiol receptor transcription in the lungs and colon of male rats

Covid-19 progression shows sex-dependent features. It is hypothesized that a better Covid-19 survival rate in females can be attributed to the presence of higher 17β-estradiol (E2) levels in women than in men. Virus SARS-CoV-2 is enabled to enter the cell with the use of angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). The expression of several renin-angiotensin system components has been shown to exert a rhythmic pattern, and a role of the circadian system in their regulation has been implicated. Therefore, the aim of the study is to elucidate possible interference between E2 signalling and the circadian system in the regulation of the expression of ACE2 mRNA and functionally related molecules. E2 was administered at a dosage of 40 μg/kg/day for 7 days to male Wistar rats, and sampling of the lungs and colon was performed during a 24-h cycle. The daily pattern of expression of molecules facilitating SARS-CoV-2 entry into the cell, clock genes and E2 receptors was analysed. As a consequence of E2 administration, a rhythm in ACE2 and TMPRSS2 mRNA expression was observed in the lungs but not in the colon. ADAM17 mRNA expression showed a pronounced rhythmic pattern in both tissues that was not influenced by E2 treatment. ESR1 mRNA expression exerted a rhythmic pattern, which was diminished by E2 treatment. The influence of E2 administration on ESR2 and GPER1 mRNA expression was greater in the lungs than in the colon as a significant rhythm in ESR2 and GPER1 mRNA expression appeared only in the lungs after E2 treatment. E2 administration also increased the amplitude of bmal1 expression in the lungs, which implicates altered functioning of peripheral oscillators in response to E2 treatment. The daily pattern of components of the SARS-CoV-2 entrance pathway and their responsiveness to E2 should be considered in the timing of pharmacological therapy for Covid-19.

Doxycycline Decreases Atherosclerotic Lesions in the Aorta of ApoE-⁄- and Ovariectomized Mice with Correlation to Reduced MMP-2 Activity

Atherogenic events promote changes in vessel walls, with alteration of the redox state, and increased activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Thus, this study aims to evaluate aortic remodeling, MMP activity, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels after treatment with doxycycline in ApoE-⁄- and ovariectomized mice (OVX). Female ApoE-⁄--knockout mice (5 weeks) were submitted to ovariectomy surgery to induce experimental menopause. They then received chow enriched with 1% cholesterol to induce hypercholesterolemia. The animals were divided into two experimental groups: ApoE-⁄-/OVX vehicle and ApoE-⁄-/OVX doxycycline (30 mg/kg) administered by gavage once a day for 28 days (15th to the 18th week of life). Blood samples were collected to measure total cholesterol and fractions. The aorta was used for morphometry and to measure the activity and expression of MMP-2 and ROS levels. The ApoE-⁄-/OVX doxycycline group showed no change in total and fraction cholesterol levels. However, there was a reduction in ROS levels, MMP-2 expression, and activity that correlated with a decrease in atherosclerotic lesions relative to the ApoE-⁄-/OVX vehicle (p > 0.05). Therefore, we conclude that doxycycline in ApoE-⁄-/OVX animals promotes a reduction in atherosclerotic lesions by reducing ROS and MMP-2 activity and expression.

Angiotensin-(1-7)-A Potential Remedy for AKI: Insights Derived from the COVID-19 Pandemic

Membrane-bound angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) 2 serves as a receptor for the Sars-CoV-2 spike protein, permitting viral attachment to target host cells. The COVID-19 pandemic brought into light ACE2, its principal product angiotensin (Ang) 1-7, and the G protein-coupled receptor for the heptapeptide (MasR), which together form a still under-recognized arm of the renin–angiotensin system (RAS). This axis counteracts vasoconstriction, inflammation and fibrosis, generated by the more familiar deleterious arm of RAS, including ACE, Ang II and the ang II type 1 receptor (AT1R). The COVID-19 disease is characterized by the depletion of ACE2 and Ang-(1-7), conceivably playing a central role in the devastating cytokine storm that characterizes this disorder. ACE2 repletion and the administration of Ang-(1-7) constitute the therapeutic options currently tested in the management of severe COVID-19 disease cases. Based on their beneficial effects, both ACE2 and Ang-(1-7) have also been suggested to slow the progression of experimental diabetic and hypertensive chronic kidney disease (CKD). Herein, we report a further step undertaken recently, utilizing this type of intervention in the management of evolving acute kidney injury (AKI), with the expectation of renal vasodilation and the attenuation of oxidative stress, inflammation, renal parenchymal damage and subsequent fibrosis. Most outcomes indicate that triggering the ACE2/Ang-(1-7)/MasR axis may be renoprotective in the setup of AKI. Yet, there is contradicting evidence that under certain conditions it may accelerate renal damage in CKD and AKI. The nature of these conflicting outcomes requires further elucidation.

Modelling the physical properties change of canned glutinous rice porridge during cooking

In this study, we modeled the water absorption, softening and shear viscosity change kinetics of canned rice porridge during cooking as well as estimated the thermodynamic properties involved in hydration. Moreover, the internal microstructure of rice kernels was observed under different hydrothermal conditions. During cooking, the water absorption and shear viscosity alteration rate increased with temperature, whereas the softening rate decreased. However, the temperature did not significantly affect the equilibrium value of the physical properties. The variation tendencies of the moisture content and hardness of the kernels could be expressed satisfactorily by the exponential and the generalized exponential models. The porridge shear viscosity variations fitted the sigmoidal and its generalized models. Thermodynamic parameters (enthalpy, entropy and Gibbs free energy) revealed that the hydration process was non-spontaneous and exothermic. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy images and the results of the X-ray diffraction analysis showed the microstructure of the kernels during cooking, and the kernels formed a homogeneous mesh structure at earlier times during the initial stage at higher temperatures. These findings would provide valuable information for the optimization of canned rice porridge production.

Sex differences in endothelial function important to vascular health and overall cardiovascular disease risk across the lifespan

Diseases of the cardiovascular system are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in men and women in developed countries, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is becoming more prevalent in developing countries. The prevalence of atherosclerotic CVD in men is greater than in women until menopause, when the prevalence of CVD increases in women until it exceeds that of men. Endothelial function is a barometer of vascular health and a predictor of atherosclerosis that may provide insights into sex differences in CVD as well as how and why the CVD risk drastically changes with menopause. Studies of sex differences in endothelial function are conflicting, with some studies showing earlier decrements in endothelial function in men compared with women, whereas others show similar age-related declines between the sexes. Because the increase in CVD risk coincides with menopause, it is generally thought that female hormones, estrogens in particular, are cardioprotective. Moreover, it is often proposed that androgens are detrimental. In truth, the relationships are more complex. This review first addresses female and male sex hormones and their receptors and how these interact with the cardiovascular system, particularly the endothelium, in healthy young women and men. Second, we address sex differences in sex steroid receptor-independent mechanisms controlling endothelial function, focusing on vascular endothelin and the renin-angiotensin systems, in healthy young women and men. Finally, we discuss sex differences in age-associated endothelial dysfunction, focusing on the role of attenuated circulating sex hormones in these effects.