Resveratrol preserves cardiac function, but does not prevent endothelial dysfunction or pulmonary inflammation after environmental tobacco smoke exposure

The mechanisms by which environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) causes adverse cardiovascular effects remain unclear. Resveratrol is a natural polyphenol from red wine which may be beneficial to the cardiovascular system. Therefore, the ability of daily oral resveratrol (5 mg/kg) to prevent adverse effects of a 14-day ETS exposure (1 h/day) on endothelial function (flow-mediated dilation), left ventricular function (echocardiography) and blood pressure (oscillometry) was assessed in juvenile male pigs (n = 4 pigs/group). After a 14-day exposure to ETS, flow-mediated dilation was impaired while plasma nitrotyrosine was increased compared to sham-exposed pigs indicating impaired endothelial function. In ETS-exposed pigs, plasma C-reactive protein levels, lung cytochrome P4501A1 activity, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid total white blood cell count and leukocyte elastase activity were all significantly increased compared to sham-exposed pigs. Resveratrol treatment failed to prevent most ETS-mediated effects examined, but did increase left ventricular end-diastolic volume and ejection fraction in the presence of ETS exposure. In summary, ETS exposure impaired endothelial function and increased oxidative stress which was associated with pulmonary and systemic inflammation, but resveratrol failed to protect against these changes. More importantly, resveratrol exerted a positive effect on left ventricular function which may help explain the French paradox.     

Early post-natal exposure to low dose oral di(2ethylhexyl) phthalate affects the peripheral LH-concentration in plasma, but does not affect mating behavior in the post-pubertal boar

In a split-litter design experiment, boars were exposed orally three times weekly to 300 mg/kg of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) between 3 and 7 weeks of age. Post-puberty, i.e. at 6 months of age the effects on endocrinology and mating behavior were examined. The response to stimulation with a synthetic GnRH-analogue at 9 months of age resulted initially in lower concentration of LH in the exposed animals, compared to the control animals. We did not find any effects of DEHP on the mating behavior. Also, the effects of DEHP during the treatment period on the plasma concentrations of testosterone, oestradiol and LH were examined. During the exposure period there was a transient decrease in plasma concentrations of LH in the control group, which did not occur in the boars exposed to DEHP. The data suggest that DEHP in low repeated oral doses causes lasting effects on the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis.