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Related Experiment Videos

Maternal and postnatal vitamin D ingestion influences rat aortic structure, function and elastin content.

Paul Norman1, Ian Moss, Minder Sian

  • 1University Department of Surgery, Fremantle Hospital, P.O. Box 480, Western Australia 6959, Fremantle, Australia. pnorman@cyllene.uwa.edu.au

Cardiovascular Research
|July 19, 2002
PubMed
Summary

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High vitamin D exposure in pregnant rats reduced aortic elastin and impaired aortic function in offspring. This suggests a link between prenatal vitamin D and cardiovascular health in adulthood.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Science
  • Developmental Biology
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Subtle fetal malnutrition is linked to adult hypertension and atherosclerosis.
  • Impaired aortic elastogenesis may initiate hypertension and aortic aneurysms.
  • Vitamin D inhibits elastin synthesis in smooth muscle cells.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Investigate if increased vitamin D during gestation and early life alters aortic elastin content and function in rats.
  • Test the hypothesis that vitamin D affects aortic elastogenesis and contractility.

Main Methods:

  • Rats received diets with 3000 (control), 6000 (low), or 12,000 (high) IU/kg vitamin D during pregnancy and lactation.
  • Offspring (male pups) were maintained on the same diets until 6 weeks of age.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Assessed aortic elastin content, elastic lamellae, and aortic ring contractility.

    • Main Results:

    • Increased vitamin D significantly reduced aortic elastin content (desmosine+isodesmosine) in pups.
    • The number of elastic lamellae in the aorta was reduced with higher vitamin D doses.
    • Aortic rings from high-dose pups showed significantly reduced force generation in response to phenylephrine.

    Conclusions:

    • Prenatal and early-life exposure to increased vitamin D in rats leads to reduced aortic elastin.
    • This exposure also decreases the number of aortic elastic lamellae and impairs aortic ring contractility.
    • Findings suggest a potential impact of maternal vitamin D levels on offspring cardiovascular development.