AUTHOR=Escobar Alyne Goulart , Rizzetti Danize Aparecida , Piagette Janaina Trindade , Peçanha Franck Maciel , Vassallo Dalton Valentim , Miguel Marta , Wiggers Giulia Alessandra 

TITLE=Antioxidant Properties of Egg White Hydrolysate Prevent Mercury-Induced Vascular Damage in Resistance Arteries

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2020.595767

DOI=10.3389/fphys.2020.595767

ISSN=1664-042X

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Aim:</bold> We investigated the antioxidant protective power of egg white hydrolysate (EWH) against the vascular damage induced by mercury chloride (HgCl<sub>2</sub>) exposure in resistance arteries.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> Male Wistar rats received for 60 days: (I) intramuscular injections (i.m.) of saline and tap water by gavage – Untreated group; (II) 4.6 μg/kg of HgCl<sub>2</sub> i.m. for the first dose and subsequent doses of 0.07 μg/kg/day and tap water by gavage – HgCl<sub>2</sub> group; (III) saline i.m. and 1 g/kg/day of EWH by gavage – EWH group, or (IV) the combination of the HgCl<sub>2</sub> i.m. and EWH by gavage – EWH + HgCl<sub>2</sub> group. Blood pressure (BP) was indirectly measured and dose-response curves to acetylcholine (ACh), sodium nitroprusside (SNP), and noradrenaline (NE) were assessed in mesenteric resistance arteries (MRA), as <italic>in situ</italic> production of superoxide anion, nitric oxide (NO) release, vascular reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant status.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> Egg white hydrolysate prevented the elevation in BP and the vascular dysfunction after HgCl<sub>2</sub> exposure; restored the NO-mediated endothelial modulation and inhibited the oxidative stress and inflammatory pathways induced by HgCl<sub>2</sub>.</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> Egg white hydrolysate seems to be a useful functional food to prevent HgCl<sub>2</sub>-induced vascular toxic effects in MRA.</p>