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Altered vascular responsiveness in isolated perfused lungs from aging rats
Experimental Lung Research
|February 1, 1982
Summary
Aging impairs pulmonary vascular responses in rats, showing reduced reactivity to hypoxia and vasoactive agents like angiotensin II and 5-hydroxytryptamine, suggesting a generalized hyporeactivity with age.
Area of Science:
- Physiology
- Cardiovascular Research
- Aging Biology
Background:
- Systemic vascular hyporesponsiveness is known in aged rats.
- Pulmonary vascular reactivity changes with aging are less understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate age-related changes in pulmonary vascular reactivity.
- To assess responses to alveolar hypoxia, angiotensin II, and 5-hydroxytryptamine in aging rat lungs.
Main Methods:
- Isolated lungs from young and middle-aged rats were perfused with whole blood.
- Vascular responses were measured during hypoxic challenges and administration of vasoactive agents.
Main Results:
- Aging rats exhibited reduced hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction.
- Dose-response curves for angiotensin II and 5-hydroxytryptamine were right-shifted in older rats, indicating decreased responsiveness.
- Overall, older rats showed lower vascular responses to all tested vasoconstrictors.
Conclusions:
- Advancing age is associated with generalized pulmonary vascular hyporeactivity.
- This suggests age-related decline in the pulmonary vasculature's ability to respond to stimuli.