Energy restriction and exercise modulate angiopoietins and vascular endothelial growth factor expression in the cavernous tissue of high-fat diet-fed rats

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2012

Authors

Tomada, I (Author) Other; Tomada, N (Author) Other; Almeida, Henrique (Author) FMUP; D Neves (Author) FMUP

Journal

Title: Asian Journal of Andrology

Vol. 14

Pages: 635-642

ISSN: 1008-682X

Publisher: Wolters Kluwer Health

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 5 Citations

Scopus - 6 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-002-8EM

DOI: 10.1038/aja.2011.131

Abstract (EN): The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the effect of a high-fat (HF) diet, energy restriction and exercise on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), angiopoietin (Ang) 1 and 2, and their receptors in rat corpus cavernosum (CC). Male Wistar rats were fed ad libitum with an HF diet for 8 or 16 weeks. After 8 weeks of the HF diet, a group of rats was subjected to energy restriction with or without exercise for 8 weeks. Control animals had free access to standard diet for the same period. After euthanasia, blood was collected and the penises removed for immunofluorescence assays (VEGF, VEGF receptor (VEGFR) 1 and 2, Ang1, Ang2 and Tie2) and semiquantification of VEGF, VEGFR1, VEGFR2, Ang1, Ang2, Tie2, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and Akt/phospho-Akt by Western blotting. HF diet-fed rats exhibited lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) levels, higher systolic blood pressure and an increased atherogenic index. A significant increase in Ang2 expression in the CC was verified and coupled to a decrease in VEGF and VEGFRs. The Akt pathway was activated by the HF diet. Energy restriction and exercise increased eNOS expression and restored most HF diet-induced modifications except for VEGFR2 expression. These results emphasize the role of diet on vascular function regulation, demonstrating that cavernous imbalance of VEGF/VEGFRs and Angs/Tie2 systems occurs before serum lipid changes and obesity onset, antedating structural atherosclerotic features. Asian Journal of Andrology (2012) 14, 635-642; doi:10.1038/aja.2011.131; published online 5 December 2011

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 8