Mild allergic airways responses to an environmental mixture increase cardiovascular risk in rats

Abstract

Recent epidemiological findings link asthma to adverse cardiovascular responses. Yet, the precise cardiovascular impacts have been challenging to disentangle from the potential cardiovascular effects caused by asthma medication. The purpose of this study was to determine the impacts of allergic airways disease alone on cardiovascular function in an experimental model. Female Wistar rats were intranasally sensitized and then challenged once per week for five weeks with saline vehicle or a mixture of environmental allergens (ragweed, house dust mite, and aspergillus fumigatus). Ventilatory and cardiovascular function, measured using double chamber plethysmography and implantable BP telemetry and cardiovascular ultrasound, respectively, were assessed before sensitization and after single and final allergen challenge. Responses to a single 0.5 ppm ozone exposure and to the cardiac arrhythmogenic agent aconitine were also assessed after final challenge. A single allergen challenge in sensitized rats increased tidal volume and specific airways resistance in response to provocation with methacholine and increased bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) eosinophils, neutrophils, lymphocytes, cytokines interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α and keratinocyte chemoattract-growth-related oncogene characteristic of allergic airways responses. Lung responses after final allergen challenge in sensitized rats were diminished, although ozone exposure increased BALF IL-6, IL-13, IL-1 β, and interferon-γ and modified ventilatory responses only in the allergen group. Final allergen challenge also increased systolic and mean arterial BP, stroke volume, cardiac output, end diastolic volume, sensitivity to aconitine-induced cardiac arrhythmia and cardiac gene expression with lesser effects after a single challenge. These findings demonstrate that allergic airways responses may increase cardiovascular risk in part by altering BP and myocardial function and by causing cardiac electrical instability.

Characterization of Mild Delayed Gestational Hypertension in Rats Following Ozone Exposure

“…Numerous studies even point to a reduction in blood pressure in vulnerable or two-hit models designed to evince hypertension. [36][37][38][39][40] Normally, O 3 is rapidly scavenged in the epithelial lining uid of the lung and in ammatory/toxic effects are typically acute and resolved within 24-72 hours, depending on the exposure concentration and extent of lung injury. [41][42][43] The concentration used in the present study (1 ppm) typically resolves in 24h.…”