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Dexamethasone-Induced Arterial Stiffening Is Attenuated by Training due to a Better Balance Between Aortic Collagen and Elastin Levels

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Abstract

Purpose

Although the cardioprotective benefits of exercise training are well known, the effects of training on dexamethasone (DEX)-induced arterial stiffness are still unclear. This study was aimed at investigating the mechanisms induced by training to prevent DEX-induced arterial stiffness.

Methods

Wistar rats were allocated into 4 groups and submitted to combined training (aerobic and resistance exercises, on alternate days, 60% of maximal capacity, for 74 d) or were kept sedentary: sedentary control rats (SC), DEX-treated sedentary rats (DS), combined training control (CT), and DEX-treated trained rats (DT). During the last 14 d, rats were treated with DEX (50 μg/kg per body weight, per day, s.c.) or saline.

Results

DEX increased PWV (+44% vs +5% m/s, for DS vs SC, p<0.001) and increased aortic COL 3 protein level (+75%) in DS. In addition, PWV was correlated with COL3 levels (r=0.682, p<0.0001). Aortic elastin and COL1 protein levels remained unchanged. On the other hand, the trained and treated groups showed lower PWV values (−27% m/s, p<0.001) vs DS and lower values of aortic and femoral COL3 compared with DS.

Conclusion

As DEX is widely used in several situations, the clinical relevance of this study is that the maintenance of good physical capacity throughout life can be crucial to alleviate some of its side effects, such as arterial stiffness.

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Data Availability

Datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Funding

This study was supported by São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP #2017/00509-1 and #2019/25603-6, grant to SLA). VFP was a recipient of a scholarship from Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES, #88882.426909/2019-01). LPT was a recipient of a Scholarship from Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES, #88882.426901/2019-01). SLA was a fellow of National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) (grant # 312160/2017-8). This study was financed in part by the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel–Brazil (CAPES) (Finance Code 001).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Joint Graduate Program in Physiological Sciences, PIPGCF UFSCar/UNESP, Rodovia Washington Luiz, km 235, São Carlos, SP, 13565-905, Brazil

    Vinicius F. de Paula & Sandra L. Amaral

  2. Department of Physical Education, São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Sciences, Av. Eng. Luiz Edmundo Carrijo Coube, 14-01, Bauru, SP, 17033-360, Brazil

    Vinicius F. de Paula, Lidieli P. Tardelli & Sandra L. Amaral

Authors
  1. Vinicius F. de Paula
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  2. Lidieli P. Tardelli
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  3. Sandra L. Amaral
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Contributions

VFP: conceptualization, methodology, analysis and interpretation of data, original draft preparation, and writing—reviewing; LPT: methodology, analysis and interpretation of data, and writing—draft preparation; SLA: conceptualization, analysis and interpretation of data, supervision, and writing—reviewing and editing.

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Correspondence to Sandra L. Amaral.

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Ethics Approval

The experimental protocol was approved by the Committee for Ethical Use of Animals (CEUA) of School of Sciences (UNESP, Bauru, #777/2017) and is in accordance with the Brazilian Ethical Principles in Animal Research.

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de Paula, V.F., Tardelli, L.P. & Amaral, S.L. Dexamethasone-Induced Arterial Stiffening Is Attenuated by Training due to a Better Balance Between Aortic Collagen and Elastin Levels. Cardiovasc Drugs Ther (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10557-023-07438-z

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