Parabiosis Improves Endothelial Dysfunction in Aged Female Mice

Introduction: The study aims to investigate the effect of parabiosis method on endothelial dysfunction in naturally aging mice and determine the time projections for predicted improvement in the mentioned target group.

Methods: The balb/c mice were separated into six groups, these being; isochronic old, heterochronic old (HP-O), isochronic young, heterochronic young, young control, and old control. After parabiosis protocol, animals were sacrificed at the third, fifth, seventh, and ninth weeks, and their thoracic aortas were isolated. The vasodilatation and vasoconstriction responses of the vessels were detected using potassium chloride and phenylephrine, acetylcholine (ACh), and sodium nitroprusside.

Results: Aging had a significant decreasing effect on maximum ACh relaxation responses (P < 0.01). However, in the HP-O group, the maximum ACh relaxation response in the third week was significantly lower (P < 0.05), but this effect disappeared in the ninth week. Maximum phenylephrine contraction responses were lower in the heterochronic parabiosis group (P < 0.05).

Conclusions: ACh responses increased at the end of the ninth week in the HP-O group, therefore, the parabiosis model may have an improving effect on endothelial dysfunction seen in aging.