Intrauterine growth restriction influences vascular remodeling and stiffening in the weanling rat more than sex or diet

We report intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) increases vascular stiffening in both male and female rats through increased collagen content and altered elastin structure more than a high-fat diet (HFD) alone. Our study shows the importance of stiffness supporting the hypothesis that there are physiologic differences and potential windows for early intervention targeting vascular remodeling mechanisms.

Source: AJP: Heart and Circulatory Physiology - January 31, 2017 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dodson, R. B., Miller, T. A., Powers, K., Yang, Y., Yu, B., Albertine, K. H., Zinkhan, E. K. Tags: Integrative Cardiovascular Physiology and Pathophysiology RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research