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Dietary vitamin E supplementation lowers blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats

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Abstract

In spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) excess endogenous aldehydes bind sulfhydryl groups of membrane proteins, altering membrane Ca2+ channels and increasing cytosolic free calcium and blood pressure. The thiol compound, N-acetyl cysteine, normalizes elevated blood pressure in SHRs by binding excess endogenous aldehydes. Vitamin E increases tissue glutathione levels – a storage form of cysteine. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether a dietary supplementation of vitamin E lowers blood pressure and prevents renal vascular changes by normalizing tissue aldehyde conjugates and cytosolic [Ca2+] in SHRs. Starting at 12 weeks of age, animals were divided into three groups of six animals each. Animals in the WKY-control group and SHR-control group were given a normal diet and the SHR-vitamin E group a diet supplemented with vitamin E (34 mg/kg feed) for the next 9 weeks. After 9 weeks, systolic blood pressure, platelet [Ca2+]i, and liver, kidney and aortic aldehyde conjugates were significantly higher in SHR controls as compared to WKY controls and the SHR-vitamin E group. SHR-controls also showed smooth muscle cell hyperplasia in the small arteries and arterioles of the kidney. Dietary vitamin E supplementation in SHRs lowered the systolic blood pressure, cytosolic [Ca2+], tissue aldehyde conjugates and attenuated adverse renal vascular changes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Room H-4310, Health Sciences Centre, St. John's, Newfoundland, A1B 3V6, Canada

    S. Vasdev

  2. Department of Medicine, Health Sciences Centre, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, A1B 3V6, Canada

    V. Gill

  3. Discipline of Laboratory Medicine, Health Sciences Centre, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, A1B 3V6, Canada

    S. Parai

  4. Division of Community Health, Health Sciences Centre, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, A1B 3V6, Canada

    L. Longerich & V. Gadag

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Vasdev, S., Gill, V., Parai, S. et al. Dietary vitamin E supplementation lowers blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Mol Cell Biochem 238, 111–117 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1019915306581

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