CONTEXT: Nitric Oxide (NO) is an endothelial-derived vasoactive molecule that causes an increase in blood flow and oxygen delivery to tissue. A reduction in NO bioavailability has been found to occur in adults over the age of 60 and can be reversed pharmacologically by improving NO synthase (NOS) activity. Reversing these age-related changes with alternative interventions, such as aerobic exercise, has shown some promising results. OBJECTIVE: To quantify blood NO-bioavailability (as measured by blood nitrite levels) in a population of aerobically trained elderly men and compare these data to a group of age-matched, inactive individuals. In addition, we measured the cutaneous vasodilator response to local skin heating as a bioassay for NO-mediated cutaneous dilation. SETTING: BYU Human Performance Research Center (HPRC). PARTICIPANTS: 16 healthy elderly men (age = 66 ± 7.07 years) were divided into two groups based on physical fitness levels and estimated VO2max in ml O2•kg-1•min-1 (Trained = 39.1 ± 1.21, Untrained = 29.0 ± 2.70). INTERVENTIONS: A blood sample was collected and analyzed for NO. A microdialysis study was performed and dialysate was collected at 32°C and at 42°C. During the heating process, skin blood flow (skin vasomotor activity) was monitored and reported as cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Whole blood nitrite concentrations, pre- and post-heat nitrite concentrations, and CVCmax were compared between trained and untrained groups. RESULTS: Whole blood nitrite concentration was similar in trained subjects and untrained subjects averaging 25.77 ± 6.75 and 21.43 ± 7.20 µM, respectively (F1,13 = 0.19; P = 0.6671]. Local skin heating had no impact on the concentration of nitrite in dialysate samples ([NOx]dialysate F1,26 = 0.01; P = 0.7567). In addition, the plateau in % CVCmax following 30 minutes of local heating was similar for trained and untrained subjects averaging 67.7 ± 5.8 and 68.0 ± 6.2 % CVCmax, respectively (F1,13 = 0.00; P = 0.9673). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that age-mediated reductions in whole blood NO-bioavailability and decrements in NO-mediated cutaneous vasodilation during local heating were similar in aerobically fit and sedentary adults 60 years old or older. We conclude that a commitment to aerobic fitness was unable to overcome the age-related dysfunction of the NOS system.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:22:56Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Retido.pdf: 19733 bytes, checksum: 6aad255badc436a06364517de2344ab6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-04-26 / Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais / The goal of the present study was to determine if nitric oxide (NO) acting on brain of frogs presents an inhibitory tonus on mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) by reducing the sympathetic activity dependent on α and/or β adrenergic receptors during winter and spring/summer seasons. Thus, body temperature and MAP was measured by a telemetry device implanted into the abdominal cavity of American bullfrogs, with the catheter of the device inserted into the left aortic arch for AP and HR measurements. Additionally, blood cell flux was measured using a laser Doppler flowmeter sutured to the pelvic skin to calculate cutaneous vascular condutance (CVC). A guide cannula was implanted into brain lateral ventricle for injections of L-NMMA (non selective NO synthase inhibitor) or mCSF (mock cerebrospinal fluid, vehycle) and a PE cannula was inserted in the femoral vein for bolus injections of adrenergic antagonists, prazosin (α1) and sotalol (β), and agonists, phenylephrine (α1) and isoproterenol (β) or Ringer solution. Animals were maintained at 25 °C during all the experiments. Mean AP, but not HR, was greater during winter than spring/summer. L-NMMA increased MAP, but did not change HR, during both seasons. The pre-treatment with prazosin attenuated and soltalol accentuated the hypertensive effect of LNMMA in both seasons. We conclude that NO seems to act on the brain of frogs as a hypotensive agent via, at least in part, the inhibition of the symphathetic activity dependent on α, and β, adrenergic receptors. / O objetivo do presente trabalho foi determinar se o óxido nítrico (NO) atuando no SNC de rãs apresenta tônus inibitório sobre a pressão arterial média (PAM) e a frequência cardíaca (FC) reduzindo a atividade simpática dependente de receptores a e/ou b adrenérgicos durante o inverno e a primavera/verão. Desta forma, a temperatura corporal e a PAM foram mensuradas por meio de um transmissor de telemetria implantado na cavidade abdominal de rãs-touro, e o cateter do transmissor foi inserido no arco aórtico esquerdo para as medidas de pressão arterial e FC. Adicionalmente, o fluxo de células sanguíneas foi avaliado por meio de um sensor a laser Doppler suturado à pele da região pélvica ventral do animal para as medidas de condutância vascular cutânea (CVC). Uma cânula foi implantada no ventrículo lateral para injeções de L-NMMA (inibidor não seletivo da NOS) ou líquor artificial (veículo) e uma cânula de polietileno PE50 foi inserida na veia femoral para injeções in bolus de antagonistas adrenérgicos, prazosin (α1) e sotalol (β), e agonistas, fenilefrina (α1) e isoproterenol (β) ou solução Ringer. Os animais foram mantidos a 25 °C durante todos os experimentos. A PAM, mas não a FC, foi maior no inverno em relação à primavera/verão. A CVC da região pélvica ventral foi maior no inverno em relação à primavera/verão. O L-NMMA aumentou a PAM e diminuiu a CVC, mas não alterou a FC, durante ambas as estações. O pré-tratamento com prazosin atenuou e o sotalol acentuou o efeito pressor do L-NMMA em ambas as estações. Podemos concluir que o NO parece atuar no encéfalo de rãs como um agente hipotensor via, em parte, inibição da atividade simpática dependente de receptores alfa vasoconstritores e beta adrenérgicos vasodilatadores.