REMODELING OF SEPTAL BRANCH OF CORONARY-ARTERY AND CAROTID-ARTERY IN L-NAME TREATED BATS

Coronary and carotid artery structure was studied in rats in order to analyze the processes in the cardiovascular system in NO-deficient hyp ertension model. Long-term inhibition of NO synthase was induced by L- nitro arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 50 mg/kg/day p.o.) for a period o f 8 weeks. An increase in blood pressure and heart/body weight ratio c onfirmed the reliability of the model The wall thickness as well as th e calculated wall area of the coronary artery increased by 70 % and 50 %, respectively, in comparison to control vessels The wall thickness and the calculated wall area of the carotid artery increased by 73 % a nd 70 %, respectively. Further analysis indicated that both the tunica intima and tunica media in the coronary and the carotid artery increa sed quantitatively in a similar manner. Remarkable differences were fo und in the contribution of cellular and noncellular components in the tunica media of the coronary and carotid arteries of experimental anim als. The calculated extracellular area increased by 116 % in compariso n to the control coronary artery and by 97 % in comparison to the cont rol carotid artery. The increase in extracellular matrix of the tunica media of coronary and carotid arteries seems to be basic cause of the remodelling of the vessels studied.