Effect of Voluntary Ethanol Consumption Combined with Testosterone Treatment on Cardiovascular Function in Rats: Influence of Exercise Training

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of voluntary ethanol consumption combined with testosterone treatment on cardiovascular function in rats. Moreover, we investigated the influence of exercise training on these effects. To this end, male rats were submitted to low-intensity training on a treadmill or kept sedentary while concurrently being treated with ethanol for 6 weeks. For voluntary ethanol intake, rats were given access to two bottles, one containing ethanol and other containing water, three 24-hour sessions per week. In the last two weeks (weeks 5 and 6), animals underwent testosterone treatment concurrently with exercise training and exposure to ethanol. Ethanol consumption was not affected by either testosterone treatment or exercise training. Also, drug treatments did not influence the treadmill performance improvement evoked by training. However, testosterone alone, but not in combination with ethanol, reduced resting heart rate. Moreover, combined treatment with testosterone and ethanol reduced the pressor response to the selective α1-adrenoceptor agonist phenylephrine. Treatment with either testosterone or ethanol alone also affected baroreflex activity and enhanced depressor response to acetylcholine, but these effects were inhibited when drugs were coadministrated. Exercise training restored most cardiovascular effects evoked by drug treatments. Furthermore, both drugs administrated alone increased pressor response to phenylephrine in trained animals. Also, drug treatments inhibited the beneficial effects of training on baroreflex function. In conclusion, the present results suggest a potential interaction between toxic effects of testosterone and ethanol on cardiovascular function. Data also indicate that exercise training is an important factor influencing the effects of these substances.

Prolonged Exposure to Alcohol Vapor Causes Change in Cardiovascular Function in Female but not in Male Rats

“…Different methods to expose rats to alcohol have been used to study the consequences of chronic EtOH exposure on cardiovascular function (Crestani et al., ; El‐Mas and Abdel‐Rahman, ; Engi et al., ; Russ et al., ). However, many studies have demonstrated that alcohol vapor exposure provides a particular advantage over other methods (Gilpin et al., , ; Meinhardt and Sommer, ; Vendruscolo and Roberts, ).…”

Behavioral and neuronal interactions between exercise and alcohol: Sex and genetic differences

“…In addition, the interaction effect of gonadal hormones on alcohol consumption and exercise is a crucial area of research lacking from the field. To our knowledge, only two studies investigating testicular and cardiovascular health have begun to tease apart this effect . Both studies demonstrated that exercise can reduce ethanol‐induced testicular and cardiovascular damage in male rats, and again females were not tested .…”

“…To our knowledge, only two studies investigating testicular and cardiovascular health have begun to tease apart this effect . Both studies demonstrated that exercise can reduce ethanol‐induced testicular and cardiovascular damage in male rats, and again females were not tested . Finally, a recent survey by Beery and Zucker reported that the ratio of male‐only to female‐only studies ranges from 3.7:1 in physiology and 5:1in pharmacology and neuroscience .…”

“…105,106 Both studies demonstrated that exercise can reduce ethanol-induced testicular and cardiovascular damage in male rats, and again females were not tested. 105,106 Finally, a recent survey by Beery and Zucker 107 reported that the ratio of male-only to female-only studies ranges from 3.7:1 in physiology and 5:1in pharmacology and neuroscience. 107 When both sexes were studied, the rodent models used to study the effects of exercise on alcohol behaviors clearly demonstrate sex differences.…”

CRF1 and CRF2 receptors in the bed nucleus of stria terminalis differently modulate the baroreflex function in unanesthetized rats

“…For analysis of baroreflex function, changes in blood pressure were evoked by intravenous infusion of the selective a 1 -adrenoceptor agonist phenylephrine (24 lg/mL/min/kg) and the donor of nitric oxide sodium nitroprusside (80 lg/mL/min/kg) using an infusion pump (K.D. Scientific, Holliston, MA) (Duarte et al, 2015;Engi et al, 2016). Phenylephrine and sodium nitroprusside caused increase and drop in blood pressure, respectively.…”