CADMIUM INDUCES HYPERTENSION THROUGH INCREASED EXRESSION OF ROCK I, OXIDATIVE STRESS AND MORPHOLOGYCAL ALTERATIONS IN THE AORTA

ALVAREZ SM; PIGUILLEM SN; MARTIN MOLINERO GD; GIMENEZ MS; BOLDRINI GG; GOMEZ NN

Mendoza

Congreso; Reunión Anual de la Sociedad De Biología de Cuyo; 2016

Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo

Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic metal and an important environmental contaminant. It is one of the main contaminants in cigarette smoke. We studied its effects on blood pressure, vascular smooth muscle proteins, histoarchitecture and oxidative stress markers of rat aorta. Male Wistar rats were used: 1 group received regular water (control-Co) and the other, 15 ppm of Cd in the drinking water for 60 days (Cd). During the treatment, blood pressure was measured with a CODA system. Total RNA was isolated with Trizol and cDNA was obtained. Nrf2 factor, NOX2, GPx, SOD, Heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), COX-2, Myosin Light Chain Kinase (MLCK), RhoA/ROCK I and II were determined by PCR. S28 was used as control. Aortas were fixed, sectioned, stained, and examined for evidence of injury. Cd induced significant increase in systolic and diastolic blood pressure (p