October - December 2011, Volume 7, Issue 4

Vata LG, Plamadeala P, Foia LG, Mitu F, Gorgan L, Vata A, Dumitriu IL, Gurzu B

Obesity Independent Effects of High Fat Diet on Pulmonary Arteries Reactivity

Acta Endo (Buc) 2011, 7 (4): 451-461
doi: 10.4183/aeb.2011.451

Published data sustain the involvement of diet on pathogenesis of immune-mediated diseases.\r\nAim. To determine if the high fat diet (HFD), in the absence of obesity, could modulate the altered pulmonary arteries\r\nreactivity associated to allergic lung diseases.\r\nMaterials and Methods. Obese resistant rats were divided into 2 groups: standard chow diet and HFD. Randomly chosen rats from both groups were sensitized against ovalbumin. The histological aspect and reactivity of pulmonary arteries were comparatively assessed. Taking into account the involvement of adipokines on obesity associated vascular reactivity alteration we also studied the vasomotor effects of few adipokines on pulmonary vessels.\r\nResults. Lung histological examination revealed that HFD aggravated the remodelling of pulmonary arteries and\r\ninflammation of lung parenchyma. The HFD amplified the phenylephrine - induced contractions. Angiotensinogen amplified and apelin inhibited the Phe contractile effects on sensitized HFD fed rats.\r\nConclusion.These effects could be at least mediated, by both the alteration of adipokines vasomotor effects and\r\ninflammation associated to pulmonary allergic disease.

Keywords: high fat diet, angiotensinogen, apelin, leptin, pulmonary\r\nartery, allergy, rat

Correspondence: Bogdan Gurzu, Department of Functional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, ?Gr T Popa? University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iasi, Romania, Email: bgurzu@yahoo.com.