Passive Smoke Exposure of Female Rats Caused Aortic Atherosclerotic Precursor Lesions in Their Offspring

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence and degree of preclinical atherosclerosis in pups of pregnant rats exposed to cigarette smoke. Abdominal aorta examined for atherosclerotic lesions and intimal medial thickness of the abdominal aorta was measured by image analysis. The study groups showed endothelial cellular losses, marked intimal injuries, elastic fiber damages, mononuclear cellular infiltration, and irregularities in internal elastic membrane, with pronounced damages as integrity losses and local fragmentations. The results provide evidence for development of an atherosclerotic process in the neonatal period, even in prenatal stage, long before the formation of smoke-related cardiovascular diseases.

Characteristics and popular topics of latest researches into the effects of air particulate matter on cardiovascular system by bibliometric analysis

“…In this topic, the pregnant-delayed cardiovascular effects of the fetal smoking exposure to the infants/children are of the most concern (cluster 7). Both epidemiological (Geerts et al, 2012) and animal studies (Tunc et al, 2012) were conducted. Cotinine and nicotine, which are two important markers of the pregnant tobacco smoking exposure, can be detected in the hair, pericardial fluid and liquor cerebrospinalis of the infants (Bajanowski et al, 2008).…”