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Assessment of Vascular Tone Responsiveness using Isolated Mesenteric Arteries with a Focus on Modulation by Perivascular Adipose Tissues
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Assessment of Vascular Tone Responsiveness using Isolated Mesenteric Arteries with a Focus on Modulation by Perivascular Adipose Tissues

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Aging Reduces L-Type Calcium Channel Current and the Vasodilatory Response of Small Mesenteric Arteries to Calcium

Sulayma A Albarwani1, Fathi Mansour1, Abdul Aleem Khan1

  • 1Department of Physiology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University Muscat, Oman.

Frontiers in Physiology
|June 1, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Aging reduces the effectiveness of calcium channel blockers (CCBs) in mesenteric arteries. This decreased sensitivity is linked to lower L-type voltage-gated calcium channel (LTCC) current density in older rats.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Physiology
  • Aging Research
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Calcium channel blockers (CCBs) are crucial for managing cardiovascular diseases (CVD), with usage increasing in aging populations.
  • Aging is an independent risk factor for CVD, necessitating an understanding of its impact on drug efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how aging affects the sensitivity of small mesenteric arteries to L-type voltage-gated calcium channel (LTCC) blockers.
  • To determine if aging alters calcium current density in these arteries.

Main Methods:

  • Isometric tension measurements of third-order mesenteric arteries from young (2.5-3 months) and old (22-26 months) male F344 rats.
  • Cumulative concentration-response curves for nifedipine, verapamil, and diltiazem to assess artery relaxation.
  • Electrophysiological assessment of LTCC current density and Western blot analysis for Cav1.2 protein expression.

Main Results:

  • Older rats exhibited significantly reduced sensitivity (right-shifted IC50 values) to CCBs compared to younger rats.
  • Bay K 8644-induced increases in resting tension were diminished in arteries from old rats.
  • LTCC current density and Cav1.2 protein expression were significantly lower in arteries from old rats.

Conclusions:

  • Aging diminishes the vasodilatory response of small mesenteric arteries to CCBs.
  • Reduced LTCC current density, associated with decreased Cav1.2 protein expression, is a key factor contributing to this age-related decrease in CCB sensitivity.

Keywords:
F344 ratsagingcalcium channel blockersmesenteric arteriesvoltage-gated calcium channel

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