The effect of chronic hyperthyroidism and restored euthyroid state by methimazole therapy in rat small mesenteric arteries.

Abstract

Not much has been reported about the effects of hyperthyroidism and its correction on resistance vessels, and just two inconsistent studies have investigated the impacts of restored euthyroidism on vascular reactivity. In this regard, we designed the current study to evaluate the vascular reactivity of the mesenteric arteries of hyperthyroid and restore euthyroid rats. Hyperthyroidism was induced by administration of triiodothyronine (T3; 300μg/kg, i.p., for 12 weeks in T3 group). Euthyroidism was restored by administration of T3 for 8 weeks and then T3+Methimazole (0.003% in drinking water) for 4 weeks (T3+MMI group). According to the McGregor method, vascular relaxation and contractility response were measured in response to acetylcholine or phenylephrine respectively. We found that maximal contractility response (Emax) to phenylephrine in the T3 group was significantly decreased (P<0.001), and Emax to acetylcholine was significantly increased compared with the saline group (P<0.05). When N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 3×10(-4)M) was used, Emax to acetylcholine in the T3 group was still higher than the saline group (P<0.05). However, decrease in maximal response of the T3 group was significantly greater than the saline group (P<0.01). We also showed that when euthyroidism is restored by methimazole therapy, enhanced acetylcholine-induced vasorelaxation and impaired contractility response to phenylephrine were normalized, as there was no significant difference in Emax of the T3+MMI group versus the saline group (P>0.05). In conclusion, synthesis of both nitric oxide (NO) and endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF) in mesenteric arteries significantly increased as a consequence of hyperthyroidism, and this abnormal vascular reactivity is corrected by methimazole therapy.

• Authors: Mahdi Khorshidi-Behzadi, Houman Alimoradi, Shaghayegh Haghjoo-Javanmard, Mohammad Reza Sharifi, Nastaran Rahimi, Ahmad Reza Dehpour
• Journal: European journal of pharmacology (Eur J Pharmacol) Vol. 701 Issue 1-3 Pg. 20-6 (Feb 15 2013) ISSN: 1879-0712 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 23274730 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Methimazole

Topics

• Animals
• Chronic Disease
• Endothelium, Vascular (drug effects, physiopathology)
• Hyperthyroidism (drug therapy, physiopathology)
• Male
• Mesenteric Arteries (drug effects, physiopathology)
• Methimazole (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Perfusion
• Rats
• Rats, Sprague-Dawley
• Recovery of Function (drug effects)
• Thyroid Gland (drug effects, physiopathology)
• Vasoconstriction (drug effects)
• Vasodilation (drug effects)