Sex Differences in the Dilatory Response of Compound 21
Status:
Not yet recruiting
Trial end date:
2023-10-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
When blood pressure changes, your body responds by producing and releasing a chemical called
Angiotensin II into your bloodstream. This substance can make blood vessels smaller (i.e.,
vasoconstriction) by acting though Angiotensin II type I receptors (AT1R) to increase blood
pressure. Or it can increase the diameter of vessels (i.e., vasodilation) through Angiotensin
II type II receptors (AT2R) to decrease your blood pressure. These two receptors normally
work in balance to maintain your blood pressure. However, excess Angiotensin II released in
the blood stream may reduce sensitivity of AT2Rs, leading to excessive activation of AT1Rs.
This results in increased constriction which plays a major role in diseases such as high
blood pressure, hardening of the arteries, and heart failure. In the body, Angiotensin II
production is reduced in the presence of estrogen, as seen in pre-menopausal women.
Pre-menopausal women have a greater protection against cardiovascular diseases compared to
age-matched males, likely due to the protective effects of estrogen. However, the extent that
estrogen may impact the sensitivity of Angiotensin II receptors in pre-menopausal is unknown.
In this study, we use the blood vessels in the skin as a representative vascular bed for
examining mechanisms of microvascular dysfunction in humans. Using a minimally invasive
technique (intradermal microdialysis for the local delivery of pharmaceutical agents) we
examine the blood vessels in a dime-sized area of the skin in healthy young women and men. As
a compliment to these measurements, we also draw blood from the subjects and measure
circulating factors that may contribute to cardiovascular health.