REGULATION OF VASCULAR HOMEOSTASIS BY PLANT DERIVED ESTROGENS

SANDOVAL, M.; CEPEDA SB; MASSHEIMER VL

Buenos Aires

Congreso; INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF ENDOCRINOLOGY ICE 2021; 2021

INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF ENDOCRINOLOGY

Phytoestrogens (PE) such as genistein (Gen) are considered a natural therapy to counteract the risk of cardiovascular diseases in postmenopausal women. Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory process that, in the later step of plaque generation could conduct to vascular calcification (VCa). Revascularization, mainly aided by angiogenesis, represents a survival mechanism for ischemic tissue. We have previously reported that Gen prevents cellular events involved in the early stages of plaque formation. In this work we study the effect of Gen on VCa and angiogenesis. Aortic rings (AR); endothelial cells (EC) and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) isolated from aortic explants of female Wistar rats were employed. Cells cultures (VSMC; EC) or AR were in vitro exposed to 1-100 nM of Gen. When the effect of Gen on VCa was assayed, intact aortas were cultured in procalcifying medium (10 mM β-glycerophosphate; 4 mM CaCl2) for 14 days. A significant reduction in calcified areas, revealed by AgNO3 staining, was detected after 10 nM Gen treatment. These results were confirmed by quantification of aortic tissue calcium content (552±43 vs 235±18 ug Ca/mg prot, C vs Gen, p