Probiotics (VSL#3) Prevent Endothelial Dysfunction in Rats with Portal Hypertension: Role of the Angiotensin System

Abstract

AimsPortal hypertension characterized by generalized vasodilatation with endothelial dysfunction affecting nitric oxide (NO) and endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization (EDH) has been suggested to involve bacterial translocation and/or the angiotensin system. The possibility that ingestion of probiotics prevents endothelial dysfunction in rats following common bile duct ligation (CBDL) was evaluated.MethodsRats received either control drinking water or the probiotic VSL#3 solution (50 billion bacteria.kg body wt−1.day−1) for 7 weeks. After 3 weeks, rats underwent surgery with either resection of the common bile duct or sham surgery. The reactivity of mesenteric artery rings was assessed in organ chambers, expression of proteins by immunofluorescence and Western blot analysis, oxidative stress using dihydroethidium, and plasma pro-inflammatory cytokine levels by flow cytometry.ResultsBoth NO- and EDH-mediated relaxations to acetylcholine were reduced in the CBDL group compared to the sham group, and associated with a reduced expression of Cx37, Cx40, Cx43, IKCa and SKCa and an increased expression of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS). In aortic sections, increased expression of NADPH oxidase subunits, angiotensin converting enzyme, AT1 receptors and angiotensin II, and formation of ROS and peroxynitrite were observed. VSL#3 prevented the deleterious effect of CBDL on EDH-mediated relaxations, vascular expression of connexins, IKCa, SKCa and eNOS, oxidative stress, and the angiotensin system. VSL#3 prevented the CBDL-induced increased plasma TNF-α, IL-1α and MCP-1 levels.ConclusionsThese findings indicate that VSL#3 ingestion prevents endothelial dysfunction in the mesenteric artery of CBDL rats, and this effect is associated with an improved vascular oxidative stress most likely by reducing bacterial translocation and the local angiotensin system.

Reduced activity of SKCa and Na‐K ATPase underlies the accelerated impairment of EDH‐type relaxations in mesenteric arteries of aging spontaneously hypertensive rats

“…; Rashid et al. ). A caveat is that compound C, at the concentration used in the present experiments, only preferentially inhibits AMPK, but also competes for the ATP binding sites of other enzymes (Bain et al.…”

The Potential of Probiotics in the Prevention and Treatment of Atherosclerosis

“…Probiotics have been shown to attenuate several pro‐atherogenic changes associated with endothelial dysfunction via multiple mechanisms, including increasing availability of nitric oxide (NO), improving oxidative stress, restoring endothelial architecture, recruitment of endothelial progenitor cells, and improving vascular inflammation . For example, ingestion of VSL#3 attenuated endothelial dysfunction that was associated with improved vascular oxidative stress in the mesenteric artery of rats following common bile duct ligation . In addition, Lactobacillus coryniformis CECT5711 reversed endothelial dysfunction in obese mice by increasing NO bioavailability .…”

Ratlarda Yüzdürme Egzersizi ve Probiyotik VSL#3’ün Zonulin ile Bazı Yangısal ve Oksidatif Değişkenlere Etkileri

“…We preferred cocktail VSL#3 as probiotic supplementation because VSL#3 is one of the most beneficial recommendations for ulcerative colitis therapy [23] and leads to a reduction in colonic expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and mucosal damage and stimulates barrier integrity in different cases of colitis [24] or in common bile duct ligation induced inflammatory response [25] . We here show that 5-week moderate exercise and probiotic VSL#3 supplementation together led to reductions in some cytokine levels whereas only moderate exercise or probiotic VSL#3 supplementation does not, suggesting that usage ÜNSAL, ÜNSAL, ÜNER, KOÇ YILDIRIM EKİCİ, BALKAYA, BELGE of probiotic VSL#3 during moderate exercise improves immune system, at least in part with these experimental conditions.…”

“…Our results support these evidences that moderate and intensive exercise exert to decrease oxidative stress, but probiotic supplementation neither improve nor exacerbate this notion which suggests that there is no synergistic effect between probiotic and exercise in terms of MDA levels. Probiotics have antioxidative effects by reducing oxidative stress induced by mutagen, doxorubicin, diabetes or common bile duct ligation in different animal models [25,[36][37][38] . However, this effect does not appear in healthy state [37,38] .…”