University of Utah Undergraduate Research Abstracts, Volume 3, Spring 2003

Quercetin Limits Vascular Dysfunction Associated with Pressure Overload Left Ventricular Hypertrophy

QUERCETIN LIMITS VASCULAR DYSFUNCTION ASSOCIATED WITH PRESSURE OVERLOAD LEFT VENTRICULAR Acute administration of the flavonoid Q evokes endotheli-um-dependent and -independent relaxation of isolated aorta and coronary arteries. We hypothesized that chronic Q-supplementation limits vascular dysfunction associated with LVH. Rats consumed standard chow (C) or chow supplemented with Q for 7 days. Sham surgery or abdominal aortic constriction to produce LVH was performed on all animals. After 14 more days of C or Q consumption, mean blood pressures (MAP) were obtained from the carotid and caudal artery of conscious rats. Next, after excising the aorta, vascular reactivity was assessed using a wire myo-graph. Compared to sham-operated C-fed animals (n=8), LVH HYPERTROPHY C-fed rats (n=10) had a greater carotid to caudal MAP gradient (5±2 vs 38±5* mmHg), less maximal acetylcholine (ACh) evoked relaxation (10-4 M, 40±4 vs 30±3%*), and less sodium nitroprusside (SNP) evoked relaxation (10-4 M, 71 ±5 vs 56±3%*) in norepi-nephrine (NE) precontracted (10-5M) aortic segments. Compared to sham-operated Q-fed animals (n=10), LVH Q-fed rats (n=7) had a greater MAP gradient (7±1 vs 18±4*), but similar maximal ACh evoked relaxation (38±4 vs 44±3%) and SNP evoked relaxation (71 ±5 vs 71 ±4%) (*p<0.05 for all). Our results suggest that Q-supple-mentation limited aortic vascular dysfunction and lessened the carotid to caudal MAP gradient. Quynhhoa Nguyen Junior Biomedical Engineering gn1 ©utah.edu Faculty Sponsor: J. David Symons Dept. of Excercise and Sport Science [e-mail] 67