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Mechanisms of impaired red blood cell ATP release in older adults: implications for altered vascular control with age

dc.contributor.authorRacine, Matthew L., author
dc.contributor.authorDinenno, Frank A., advisor
dc.contributor.authorAmberg, Gregory, committee member
dc.contributor.authorChicco, Adam, committee member
dc.contributor.authorGentile, Christopher, committee member
dc.date.accessioned2018-09-10T20:04:19Z
dc.date.available2018-09-10T20:04:19Z
dc.date.issued2018
dc.description.abstractThe following dissertation is comprised of a series of experiments with the overall aim of determining the mechanisms of impaired ATP release from red blood cells (RBCs) of healthy older adults in response to hemoglobin deoxygenation and identifying a potential role of this impairment in the declines in vascular control of peripheral blood flow with advancing age. Advancing age is the primary risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is the leading cause of death in societies today and is strongly associated with arterial dysfunction. Furthermore, impairments in vascular control and the subsequent regulation of tissue blood flow and oxygen delivery contribute to vascular pathologies such as atherosclerosis and ischemic disease, as well as the age-associated declines in functional capacity, exercise tolerance, and overall quality of life. Thus, understanding the mechanisms of the age-related impairments in vascular control and identifying potential therapeutic targets holds significant potential for reducing the healthcare burden associated with a rapidly aging population. Accordingly, the ultimate goal of this dissertation is to determine if an in vivo pharmacological approach can be utilized to treat the age-related declines in RBC ATP release, thereby restoring circulating ATP responses and subsequent vascular control during the physiological stimuli of hypoxia and exercise in healthy older adults. The key novel findings of this dissertation are that (i) age-associated declines in RBC deformability are the primary mechanism of impaired deoxygenation-induced ATP release from RBCs of healthy older adults; (ii) primary (healthy) aging is not associated with a global decline in RBC function given that inhibition of cyclic AMP hydrolysis by phosphodiesterase 3 did not improve deoxygenation-induced ATP release from RBCs of older adults and that the cellular responses to Gi protein activation remained intact with age; and (iii) that systemic Rho-kinase inhibition via administration of fasudil improves the age-related impairments in vascular control and circulating ATP during systemic hypoxia and exercise, which may be related to enhanced RBC ATP release and NO bioavailability. These findings are the first to identify a role for Rho-kinase inhibition in improving these physiological responses in healthy older adults and are therefore clinically significant for aging population in which impaired vascular control contributes to elevations in cardiovascular disease risk and declines in exercise tolerance, functional independence and overall quality of life.
dc.format.mediumborn digital
dc.format.mediumdoctoral dissertations
dc.identifierRacine_colostate_0053A_14878.pdf
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10217/191293
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherColorado State University. Libraries
dc.relation.ispartof2000-2019
dc.rightsCopyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.
dc.titleMechanisms of impaired red blood cell ATP release in older adults: implications for altered vascular control with age
dc.typeText
dcterms.rights.dplaThis Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights (https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/). You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
thesis.degree.disciplineHealth and Exercise Science
thesis.degree.grantorColorado State University
thesis.degree.levelDoctoral
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

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