Experimental Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Induces Blunted Vasoconstriction and Functional Changes in the Rat Aorta

Diabetic conditions increase vascular reactivity to angiotensin II in several studies but there are scarce reports on cardiovascular effects of hypercaloric diet (HD) induced gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), so the objective of this work was to determine the effects of HD induced GDM on vascular responses. Angiotensin II as well as phenylephrine induced vascular contraction was tested in isolated aorta rings with and without endothelium from rats fed for 7 weeks (4 before and 3 weeks during pregnancy) with standard (SD) or hypercaloric (HD) diet. Also, protein expression of AT(1)R, AT(2)R, COX-1, COX-2, NOS-1, and NOS-3 and plasma glucose, insulin, and angiotensin II levels were measured. GDM impaired vasoconstrictor response (P < 0.05 versus SD) in intact (e+) but not in endothelium-free (e−) vessels. Losartan reduced GDM but not SD e− vasoconstriction (P < 0.01 versus SD). AT(1)R, AT(2)R, and COX-1 and COX-2 protein expression were significantly increased in GDM vessels (P < 0.05 versus SD). Results suggest an increased participation of endothelium vasodilator mediators, probably prostaglandins, as well as of AT(2) vasodilator receptors as a compensatory mechanism for vasoconstrictor changes generated by experimental GDM. Considering the short term of rat pregnancy findings can reflect early stage GDM adaptations.