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Effects of anti hypertensive drugs on capillary rarefaction in spontaneously hypertensive rats: intravital Microscopy and histologic analysis
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Effects of anti hypertensive drugs on capillary rarefaction in spontaneously hypertensive rats: intravital Microscopy and histologic analysis

Bruno Sabino, Marcos A. Lessa, Alessandro R. Nascimento, Carlos A. B. Rodrigues, Maria das Graas Henriques, Luciana R. Garzoni, Bernard I. Levy and Eduardo Tibirica
Journal of cardiovascular pharmacology, Vol.51(4), pp.402-409
04/01/2008
DOI: 10.1097/FJC.0b013e3181673bc5
PMID: 18427284
url
https://doi.org/10.1097/FJC.0b013e3181673bc5View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

We investigated the effects of chronic oral antihyperiensive treatment on functional and structural capillary rarefaction in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) were used as a normotensive control group. In untreated rats, intravital videomicroscopy showed that functional capillary density was lower in SHR skeletal muscle (WKY 395 +/- 17 and SHR 258 +/- 13 capillaries/mm(2), p < 0.01) and ear skin (WKY 391 +/- 18 and SHR 210 15 capillaries/mm(2), p < 0.01). A linear relationship was seen between skeletal muscle and skin capillary densities (r = 0.654, P < 0.0001). Histologic analysis showed that SHR had a lower capillaryto-fiber ratio in the skeletal muscle (WKY 1.74 +/- 0.08 and SHR 1.40 +/- 0.06, P < 0.01). Capillary volume density-to-fiber volume density ratio in the left ventricle of SHR was also reduced (WKY 0.55 +/- 0.09 and SHR 0.42 +/- 0.09, P < 0.01). The animals were treated with the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor enalapril, the angiotensin II type I receptor (AT(1)) receptor antagonist losartan, the P-blocker atenolol, or the calcium channel blocker nifedipine, resulting in similar reductions in systolic blood pressure (19.8%, 19.1%, 17.4%, and 18.2%, respectively, P > 0.05). Atenolol did not induce any change in functional capillary density of SHR. Losartan and nifedipine completely reversed functional capillary rarefaction in both muscle and cutaneous tissues, whereas enalapril significantly increased functional capillary density only in the skin. The skeletal muscle capillary-to-fiber ratio was normalized by enalapril, losartan, and nifedipine. Treatments with enalapril or losartan normalized the cardiac structural capillary rarefaction of SHRs, whereas atenolol and nifedipine had no effect. Our results suggest that different pharmacologic classes of antihyper-tensive drugs with similar effect on blood pressure differ in terms of their effect on the microcirculation.
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems Cardiovascular System & Cardiology Life Sciences & Biomedicine Pharmacology & Pharmacy Science & Technology

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