Role of Oxytocin in Deceleration of Early Atherosclerotic Inflammatory Processes in Adult Male Rats

Objective: The study aimed to examine the effect of exogenous OT administration on
the inflammation and atherosclerosis in adult male rats and its possible mechanisms.
Thirty adult male rats equally divided into three groups .Control group fed regular
diet; group II fed control diet supplemented with L-methionine for 10 weeks. Group
III received L-methionine and oxytocin treatment for 10 weeks. RT-PCR analysis
showed that OT administration increased oxytocin receptor mRNA (2 fold, P,0.05).
Blood samples were evaluated for total homocysteine, interlukin-6(IL-6),monocyte
chemoatrratant protein-1 (MCP-1) and C-reactive protein (CRP) by ELIZA. lipid
profile, nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH)
were determined. Specimens from aorta were processed for immunohistochemical
staining for Aorta nuclear factor _B (NF-_κB) p65 protein. Result showed that OT
administration to group III decreased the plasma levels IL-6, MCP-1and CRP levels
which were elevated in group II. Moreover, there was decrease of the oxidative stress
of group III in terms of increased plasma levels of NO and GSH and decreased
plasma levels of MDA in blood. In addition, rats of group II showed histological
abnormalities manifested by thickening and ulceration of the aortic wall. Marked
increased expression of NF-_κB in aorta of in group II was detected. However, OT
administration restores the histological structure of the aorta and decreased the
expression of NF-_κB in aorta of group III similar to the control group.
Conclusion: OT has anti inflammatory pathway in atherosclerosis as it decelerates
atherosclerosis by decreasing the proinflammatory responses through many
mechanisms, mainly the up regulation of its receptors.