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Published on: June 16, 2022
Vasodilator effect of ghrelin in the rat aorta
Amaia Rodríguez1, Javier Gómez-Ambrosi, Victoria Catalán
1Laboratorio de Investigación Metabólica. Clínica Universitaria de Navarra. Pamplona. Navarra. España; CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición. Instituto de Salud Carlos III. Madrid. España.
Background And Objective:
Ghrelin is a hormone mainly produced by the stomach and has been identified as the natural ligand of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R). In addition to its orexigenic effect, ghrelin modulates homeostasis of the cardiovascular system. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of ghrelin on the vascular reactivity of the aorta.
Material And Methods:
This study was performed in the thoracic aorta of 10-12- week-old male Wistar rats. Passive wall tension and contractile responses to angiotensin II (Ang II) (10(-7) mol/l) in the presence of ghrelin (10(-8) mol/l) were evaluated using the organ bath system. The presence of the functional ghrelin receptor, GHS-R 1a, in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) of the aorta was determined by Western blot.
Results:
VSMCs of the vascular wall of the aorta expressed the GHS-R 1a protein. Incubation of the intact aorta with ghrelin (10(-8) mol/l) induced a reduction (p<0.01) in passive wall tension. In endotheliumdenuded aorta, ghrelin did not modify basal vasomotor tone. However, incubation of endothelium-denuded aorta with ghrelin inhibited (p<0.01) Ang II (10(-7) mol/l)-induced vasoconstriction.
Conclusions:
Ghrelin exerts an endothelium-dependent and -independent depressor action on aortic vascular reactivity. These findings provide additional information on the physiological effect of ghrelin on arterial pressure regulation.
