Losartan effect on atheroma development in ApoE-deficient mice fed with fructose.

CANNIZZO, BEATRIZ; LUJAN, AGUSTIN; CRUZADO MONTSERRAT; CASTRO CLAUDIA

Mendoza

Jornada; XXII Jornadas de Investigación y IV Jornadas de Posgrado de la Universidad Nacional de Cuyo y 28° Reunión Científica anual de la Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo; 2010

Sociedad de biología de Cuyo

Angiotensin II (AII) stimulates Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) generation through the activation of NADPH oxidase system. The use of renin-AII system inhibitors could be useful to study how oxidative stress participates in atherogenic process development. We studied the effect of Losartan, an AT1 receptor antagonist, in an experimental model of atherosclerosis: fructose-fed ApoE-/- mice. Losartan (10mg /kg/ day) was administraded during 4 weeks. Atherosclerotic plaque was quantificated in aortic arch and carotid arteries by Oil Red O staining and NAD(P)H oxidase activity was determined by chemiluminescence with lucigenin. Data (mean±SEM) were analyzed with ANOVA and Bonferroni’s post test. Fructose-induced atherosclerotic plaque formation in aortas and carotid arteries was inhibited by Losartan. Fructose increased NADPH oxidase activity in carotid arteries. This effect was significantly prevented by Losartan (1,00±0,05 vs. 0,44±0,39; P < 0.001). The present results show that Losartan was able to attenuate atherosclerosis development. Losartan effect could be partially associated to ROS generation inhibition.