This study was performed to examine whether aging affects the vasodilatory effects of testosterone in the coronary arteries of male rats. Isolated coronary arteries from young mature (3–4 months) and elderly (22–26 months) male Wistar rats were studied in a wire myograph. Contractile function and endothelial function were assessed by measuring vasomotor responses to 10–100 mmol/l KCl, 0.1 mmol/l prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) and 10 µmol/l acetylcholine. Sensitivity to the vasodilatory effects of testosterone was assessed by constructing dose–response curves to concentrations between 1 µmol/l and 1 mmol/l testosterone dissolved in water in vessels maximally preconstricted with PGF2α. The compliance characteristics of each vessel and serum testosterone levels from each animal were measured. Histological sections of myocardium were examined for differences in coronary artery morphology. Vessels from elderly animals were significantly more resistant to the vasodilatory effects of testosterone than vessels from young animals (P = 0.001 by analysis of covariance). Vessels from elderly animals were also significantly less compliant (7.32±0.43 µm/mN, compared with 10.99±1.52 µm/mN in young animals; P = 0.011), and the levels of circulating testosterone in elderly animals were lower, but not significantly so (2.04±0.63 nmol/l compared with 3.88±1.7 nmol/l; P = 0.32). Vessels from elderly animals were less contractile in response to KCl than those from young animals (P = 0.004 by analysis of covariance). There were no significant differences between the two groups in their responses to PGF2α or acetylcholine. Thus it is concluded that coronary arteries from elderly rats are significantly less sensitive to the vasodilatory effects of testosterone than those from young animals.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
Research Article|
June 15 2000
Aging reduces the responsiveness of coronary arteries from male Wistar rats to the vasodilatory action of testosterone
Kate M. ENGLISH;
Kate M. ENGLISH
1Department of Cardiology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Glossop Road, Sheffield S10 2JF, U.K.
Search for other works by this author on:
Richard D. JONES;
Richard D. JONES
1Department of Cardiology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Glossop Road, Sheffield S10 2JF, U.K.
Search for other works by this author on:
Hugh T. JONES;
Hugh T. JONES
1Department of Cardiology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Glossop Road, Sheffield S10 2JF, U.K.
Search for other works by this author on:
Alyn H. MORICE;
Alyn H. MORICE
1Department of Cardiology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Glossop Road, Sheffield S10 2JF, U.K.
Search for other works by this author on:
Kevin S. CHANNER
1Department of Cardiology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Glossop Road, Sheffield S10 2JF, U.K.
Correspondence: Dr K. S. Channer (e-mail [email protected]).
Search for other works by this author on:
Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
November 15 1999
Revision Received:
March 06 2000
Accepted:
March 30 2000
Online ISSN: 1470-8736
Print ISSN: 0143-5221
The Biochemical Society and the Medical Research Society © 2000
2000
Clin Sci (Lond) (2000) 99 (1): 77–82.
Article history
Received:
November 15 1999
Revision Received:
March 06 2000
Accepted:
March 30 2000
Citation
Kate M. ENGLISH, Richard D. JONES, Hugh T. JONES, Alyn H. MORICE, Kevin S. CHANNER; Aging reduces the responsiveness of coronary arteries from male Wistar rats to the vasodilatory action of testosterone. Clin Sci (Lond) 1 July 2000; 99 (1): 77–82. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/cs0990077
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Sign in to your personal account
You could not be signed in. Please check your email address / username and password and try again.
Could not validate captcha. Please try again.
Biochemical Society Member Sign in
Sign InSign in via your Institution
Sign in via your InstitutionGet Access To This Article
Cited By
Open Access for all
We offer compliant routes for all authors from 2025. With library support, there will be no author nor reader charges in 5 journals. Check here |
![]() |