glycogen and Vascular-Diseases

The importance of endothelial cell (EC) metabolism and its regulatory role in the angiogenic behavior of ECs during vessel formation and in the function of different EC subtypes determined by different vascular beds has been recognized only in the last few years. Even more importantly, apart from a role of nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species in EC dysfunction, deregulations of EC metabolism in disease only recently received increasing attention. Although comprehensive metabolic characterization of ECs still needs further investigation, the concept of targeting EC metabolism to treat vascular disease is emerging. In this overview, we summarize EC-specific metabolic pathways, describe the current knowledge on their deregulation in vascular diseases, and give an outlook on how vascular endothelial metabolism can serve as a target to normalize deregulated endothelium.

Topics: Animals; Arginine; Endothelial Cells; Fatty Acids; Glutamine; Glycogen; Glycolysis; Hexosamines; Humans; Neovascularization, Pathologic; Neovascularization, Physiologic; Pentose Phosphate Pathway; Vascular Diseases

Glycogenosis II (GSD II) is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder resulting from acid alpha-glucosidase deficiency, subsequent accumulation of glycogen in tissues, impairment of autophagic processes and progressive cardiac, motor and respiratory failure. The late-onset form is characterized by wide variability in residual enzyme activity, age of onset, rate of disease progression and phenotypical spectrum. Although the pathological process mainly affects the skeletal muscle, several other tissues may be involved in the course of the disease; therefore GSD II should be regarded as a multisystem disorder in which glycogen accumulation is present in skeletal and smooth muscle, heart, brain, liver, spleen, salivary glands, kidney and blood vessels. In this review, we briefly summarize the main non-muscle targets of the pathological process in late-onset GSD II. Further studies aimed at evaluating the extra-muscle involvement in this group of patients will help to better define clinical features and prognostic factors and to delineate the natural history of the disease.

Topics: Age of Onset; alpha-Glucosidases; Bone Diseases; Disease Progression; Glycogen; Glycogen Storage Disease Type II; Humans; Nervous System Diseases; Phenotype; Prognosis; Vascular Diseases

Fructose is a major diet component directly related to severe damages to the microcirculation and to diseases such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension to which physical activity is pointed out as an important non-pharmacological treatment since its positive effects precede anthropometric improvements. In this study we have investigated the effects of a light/moderate aerobic exercise training (AET) on microcirculatory dysfunction elicited by carbohydrate overload during a period of 5 months. Male hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) whose drinking water was substituted (F) or not (C) by 10% fructose solution, during 20 weeks, associated or not to AET in the last 4 weeks (EC and EF subgroups) had their microcirculatory function evaluated on the cheek pouch preparation, glucose and insulin tolerance (GTT and ITT) tested. Arterial blood was collected for pO2, pCO2, HCO3(-), pH, total CO2, saturated O2 and lactate determinations. Liver fragments were observed using an electron microscope. Microcirculatory responses to acetylcholine [Ach, an endothelium-dependent vasodilator; 10(-8)M - *123.3±7.5% (C), 119.5±1.3% (EC), *98.1±3.2% (F) and 133.6±17.2% (EF); 10(-6)M - *133.0±4.1% (C), 135.6±4.3% (EC), *103.4±4.3% (F) and 134.1±5.9% (EF); 10(-4)M - *167.2±5.0% (C), 162.8±5.4% (EC), *123.8±6.3% (F) and 140.8±5.0% (EF)] and to sodium nitroprusside [SNP, an endothelium-independent vasodilator; 10(-8)M - 118.8±6.8% (C), 114.0±5.0% (EC), 100.2±2.9% (F), 104.9±4.4% (EF); 10(-6)M - 140.6±11.7% (C), 141.7±5.5% (EC), 125.0±4.7% (F), 138.3±2.8% (EF); 10(-4)M - 150.4±10.9% (C), 147.9±6.5% (EC), 139.2±7.3% (F), 155.9±4.7% (EF)] and macromolecular permeability increase induced by 30 min ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) procedure [14.4±3.5 (C), 30.0±1.9 (EC), *112.0±8.8 (F) and *22.4±0.9 leaks/cm(2) (EF)] have shown that endothelium-dependent vasodilatation was significantly reduced and I/R induced macromolecular permeability augmented in sedentary fructose (F) subgroup and both improved after AET. Electron microscopy analysis of the liver showed significant differences between exercised and sedentary subgroups with greater amount of glycogen in F subgroups compared to other ones. No significant changes on mean arterial pressure, heart rate or blood gase between subgroups could be detected. Our results point out that AET could normalize microcirculatory dysfunction elicited by long term substitution of drinking water by 10% fructose solution.

Topics: Animals; Biomarkers; Capillary Permeability; Cheek; Dietary Sucrose; Disease Models, Animal; Exercise Therapy; Glycogen; Liver; Male; Mesocricetus; Microcirculation; Microvessels; Reperfusion Injury; Time Factors; Vascular Diseases; Vasodilation; Vasodilator Agents

In smooth muscle cells of the rat femoral arteries, when the animals have been subjected to a prolonged general vibration (100 Hz, amplitude 0.5 mm), size of their nuclei increases. The nuclei of myocytes in the posterior vena cava in the experimental animals are also larger than in the intact ones. Increase of the volumes of the smooth muscle cells in the posterior vena cava is not connected with the increase of the level of their ploidity. In the control animals accumulations of glycogene are revealed in the smooth muscle cells situating along the course of the internal elastic membrane of the femoral arteries. Single glycogene granules are found in other areas of the t. media. The type of glycogene distribution in the muscle layer of the femoral arteries remains the same in the rats after vibration, however, its general content is essentially decreasing.

Topics: Animals; Cell Nucleolus; Cell Nucleus; Cytoplasmic Granules; Female; Femoral Artery; Glycogen; Muscle, Smooth; Rats; Vascular Diseases; Vena Cava, Inferior; Vibration

Topics: Arteries; Glycogen; Humans; Leg; Lipids; Muscles; Oxygen; Partial Pressure; Pyruvate Oxidase; Succinate Dehydrogenase; Vascular Diseases