This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Niederhoffer, N. Articles by Atkinson, J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Niederhoffer, N. Articles by Atkinson, J. Related Collections Other arteriosclerosis Exercise/exercise testing/rehabilitation Other Vascular biology

(Hypertension. 2000;35:919.)
© 2000 American Heart Association, Inc.

Scientific Contributions

Physical Exercise, Aortic Blood Pressure, and Aortic Wall Elasticity and Composition in Rats

Nathalie Niederhoffer; Pascal Kieffer; Dominique Desplanches; Isabelle Lartaud-Idjouadiene; Marie-Hélène Sornay; Jeffrey Atkinson

From the Laboratoire de Pharmacologie Cardio-vasculaire (N.N., P.K., I.L.-I., J.A.), Faculté de Pharmacie de l’Université Henri Poincaré, Nancy I, France; and Center National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR 5578 (D.D., M.-H.S.), Université Claude Bernard, Lyon, France.

Correspondence to Dr Jeffrey Atkinson, Laboratoire de Pharmacologie Cardio-vasculaire, Faculté de Pharmacie de l’Université Henri Poincaré, Nancy I, 5 rue Albert Lebrun, 54000 Nancy, France. E-mail atkinson{at}pharma.u-nancy.fr

Abstract—With a training schedule (8 weeks’ treadmill running at 30 m/min up a 10% incline 5 d/wk for 90 min/day), we investigated whether exercise modifies aortic wall dimensions, composition (calcium and elastin content), or stiffness in normotensive 6-month-old male Wistar WAG/Rij rats. Maximal oxygen uptake was measured in half of the rats (n=10 per group). Wall stiffness was evaluated in the other half (9 trained and 10 untrained) on the basis of changes in thoracoabdominal pressure pulse wave velocity and differences in amplitude between the peripheral and central aortic pressure signals. Experiments were performed in nonanesthetized, unrestrained rats and then after pithing. The impact of exercise on the oxidative capacity of the plantaris muscles was evaluated with the measurement of citrate synthase activity. Training increased maximal oxygen uptake by 34% and citrate synthase activity by 40%. Mean peripheral aortic pressure increased by 6% and 19% in trained rats, under awake and pithed conditions, whereas mean central aortic pressure increased by 16%, after pithing only. All indexes of aortic stiffness were similar in trained and control rats, as were aortic wall dimensions, composition, cardiac mass, and heart rate. In conclusion, physical exercise in young rats appears to have no effect on aortic stiffness.

Key Words: exercise • aorta • elasticity • calcium • rats

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. F. O'Rourke and J. Hashimoto Mechanical Factors in Arterial Aging: A Clinical Perspective J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., July 3, 2007; 50(1): 1 - 13. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]