Adverse vascular remodelling is more sensitive than endothelial dysfunction to hyperglycaemia in diabetic rat mesenteric arteries

Abstract

Increased vascular stiffness and reduced endothelial nitric oxide ([Formula presented]) bioavailability are characteristic of diabetes. Whether these are evident at a more moderate levels of hyperglycaemia has not been investigated. The objectives of this study were to examine the association between the level of glycaemia and resistance vasculature phenotype, incorporating both arterial stiffness and endothelial function. Diabetes was induced in male Sprague Dawley rats with streptozotocin (STZ; 55 mg/kg i.v.) and followed for 8 weeks. One week post STZ, diabetic rats were allocated to either moderate (∼20 mM blood glucose, 6–7 U/insulin s.c. daily) or severe hyperglycaemia (∼30 mM blood gl..