What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: Other. Population: Healthy (vascular reactivity evaluation) (n=55). Intervention: Female sex vs. Male sex. Primary outcome: Acetylcholine (ACh)-induced relaxation sensitivity (pEC50) (p=<0.05).

September 4, 2014PLoS ONEOpen Access

Na+K+-ATPase Activity and K+ Channels Differently Contribute to Vascular Relaxation in Male and Female Rats

Q: What are the key findings of this study?

Acetylcholine-induced vascular relaxation involves a greater participation of large conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels in female rats and voltage-dependent K+ channels in male rats, while Na+K+-ATPase functional activity is greater in males.

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Key result

Acetylcholine-induced vascular relaxation involves a greater participation of large conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels in female rats and voltage-dependent K+ channels in male rats, while Na+K+-ATPase functional activity is greater in males.

Population

55 Wistar rats, aged 9±1 weeks. Aortic rings used for ex vivo vascular reactivity studies.

Comparison

Ex vivo exposure of aortic rings to… vs Male vs. female rat aortic rings, and control…

Design

Preclinical

Authors

FDFernanda Moura Vargas DiasUniversidade Vila Velha AFAurélia Araújo FernandesIllinois College JFJonaína FiorimUniversidade Federal do Espírito Santo

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Rat vascular sex differences in K+ channels and Na+K+-ATPase leave open human applicability; hypothesis-generating only, no practice change.

Structured PICO

Population

55 healthy Wistar rats (54.5% female) aged 9±1 weeks were used to examine gender differences in vascular reactivity of aortic rings.

Exposure

Ex vivo exposure of aortic rings to acetylcholine (ACh) and KCl in the presence of K+ channel blockers (TEA, 4-AP, IbTX, apamin, ChTX), Na+K+-ATPase inhibitor (ouabain), and NOS inhibitor (L-NAME).

Comparator

Male vs. female rat aortic rings, and control vs. inhibitor-treated rings.

Outcome

ACh-induced and K+-induced vascular relaxation (measured as maximal response [Rmax] and sensitivity [pEC50]).surrogate

Main Result

Absolute Event Rate: 7.15% vs 6.75%

p-value: p=<0.05

Gender differences in vascular reactivity in rats are mediated by distinct potassium channel utilization (BKCa in females, Kv in males) and greater Na+K+-ATPase activity in males.

Limitations

The effects of gender on the vascular ion channels should also be analyzed using patch-clamp to study the electrophysiological properties of K+ channels.
Aortic female rats were studied without correlation with estrous cycle, making it impossible to attribute the vascular response to any specific female hormone.
Cannot correlate responses to specific female hormones since estrous cycle stage was not controlled
Participation of other female hormones cannot be discarded and needs to be investigated

Cite This Study

Dias et al. (2014) studied Healthy (vascular reactivity evaluation) (n=55). Female sex vs. Male sex was evaluated on Acetylcholine (ACh)-induced relaxation sensitivity (pEC50) (p=<0.05). Acetylcholine-induced vascular relaxation involves a greater participation of large conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels in female rats and voltage-dependent K+ channels in male rats, while Na+K+-ATPase functional activity is greater in males.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a82d849abc87fc4bf1e215b https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0106345

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Implication

Rat vascular sex differences in K+ channels and Na+K+-ATPase leave open human applicability; hypothesis-generating only, no practice change.

Na+K+-ATPase Activity and K+ Channels Differently Contribute to Vascular Relaxation in Male and Female Rats

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Structured PICO

Main Result

Limitations

Cite This Study

Na+K+-ATPase Activity and K+ Channels Differently Contribute to Vascular Relaxation in Male and Female Rats

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Structured PICO

Main Result

Limitations

Cite This Study

Also Consider

Also Consider