Chronic 5% alcohol consumption for 6 months accelerated cardiovascular aging in rats by impairing mitochondrial function, increasing oxidative stress, and exacerbating cardiovascular uncoupling.
Does chronic alcohol consumption accelerate cardiovascular aging and decrease cardiovascular reserve capacity in young and aging rats?
Chronic alcohol consumption accelerates cardiovascular aging by impairing mitochondrial function, increasing oxidative stress and inflammation, and reducing cardiac reserve capacity in a rat model.
The pathology of cardiovascular aging is complex, involving mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative and nitrative stress, oxidative DNA injury, impaired lipid metabolism, cell death, senescence, and chronic inflammation. These processes lead to remodeling and structural changes in the cardiovascular system, resulting in a progressive decline in cardiovascular reserve capacity and health, and an increased risk of diseases and mortality. Excessive alcohol consumption exacerbates these risks by promoting hypertension, stroke, arrhythmias, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy, and sudden cardiac death, yet the effects of chronic alcohol consumption on cardiovascular aging remain unclear. Herein, we explored the impact of a 6-month 5% Lieber-DeCarli alcohol diet in young (3 months old) and aging (24-26 months old) Fisher F344BNF1 rats. We assessed detailed hemodynamics, mitochondrial function, oxidative/nitrative stress, lipid metabolism, inflammation, cell death, senescence, and myocardial fibrosis using the pressure-volume system, isolated vascular rings, and various histological, biochemical, and molecular biology methods. Alcohol consumption in both young and aging rats impaired mitochondrial function, disrupted cholesterol and triglyceride metabolism, and increased oxidative/nitrative stress, inflammation, cell death, and senescence, leading to a decline in systolic contractile function. In aging rats, alcohol further exacerbated diastolic dysfunction and myocardial fibrosis. Alcohol also increased oxidative/nitrative stress, apoptosis, and senescence in the vasculature, contributing to endothelial dysfunction and increased total peripheral resistance. Additionally, alcohol exacerbated the aging-related ventriculo-arterial uncoupling and diminished cardiac efficiency, further reducing cardiovascular reserve capacity. In conclusion, chronic alcohol consumption promotes cardiovascular aging and further diminishes the already impaired cardiac and vascular reserve capacity associated with aging.
Mukhopadhyay et al. (Thu,) conducted a other in Cardiovascular aging (n=64). Lieber-DeCarli alcohol diet vs. Isocaloric control diet was evaluated on Cardiovascular reserve capacity and aging markers. Chronic 5% alcohol consumption for 6 months accelerated cardiovascular aging in rats by impairing mitochondrial function, increasing oxidative stress, and exacerbating cardiovascular uncoupling.