Timothy Trichler
The Acute Responses of Pulmonary and Coronary Arteries to Natural Steroids
The purpose of this study was to characterize the specific responses of coronary and pulmonary arteries to natural steroids. It is hypothesized that the responses will vary depending on the androgen and anatomical location of the artery. Porcine coronary and pulmonary arteries were isolated and subjected to increasing concentrations of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), testosterone (TES), androstenedione (ANDRO) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). High concentrations of TES and DHT caused a significant dilation in coronary and pulmonary arteries. The specific responses to TES and DHT were significantly different than the specific responses to ANDRO and DHEA in coronary arteries. There was no significant difference in the pulmonary arteries to the androgens. Coronary arteries exhibited greater relaxations to TES, DHT and ANDRO than pulmonary arteries. Pulmonary arteries exhibited greater relaxations to DHEA than coronary arteries. The results of these studies indicate that the androgens elicit an effect on arterial diameter, depending on the androgen and anatomical location of the artery.
Mentor: Frank Sylvester
Page last modified May 13, 2011
