Decreased aortic diameter and compliance precedes blood pressure increases in postnatal development of elastin-insufficient mice.

ABSTRACT: Increased arterial stiffness and blood pressure are characteristic of humans and adult mice with reduced elastin levels caused by aging or genetic disease. Direct associations have been shown between increased arterial stiffness and hypertension in humans, but it is not known whether changes in mechanical properties or increased blood pressure occur first. Using genetically modified mice with elastin haploinsufficiency (Eln(+/-)), we investigated the temporal relationship between arterial mechanical properties and blood pressure throughout postnatal development. Our results show that some mechanical properties are maintained constant regardless of elastin amounts. The peak diameter compliance for both genotypes occurs near the physiologic pressure at each age, which acts to provide maximum

SUBMITTER: Le VP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3129922 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature