Vascular hypo-reactivity plays a critical role inducing organ injury during
hemorrhagic shock. 17β-estradiol (E2) can induce vasodilation to increase blood flow in various vascular beds. This study observed whether E2 can restore vascular hypo-reactivity induced by
hemorrhagic shock, and whether E2 effects are associated with RhoA-
Rho kinase (ROCK)-
myosin light chain kinase phosphatase (MLCP) pathway. The
hemorrhagic shock model (40 ± 2 mm Hg for 1 h,
resuscitation for 4 h) was established in ovary intact
sham operation (OVI), ovariectomized (OVX), and OVX plus E2 supplement female mice. Intestinal microvascular loop was used to assess blood flow in vivo,
mRNA expression and vascular reactivity in vitro.
Hemorrhagic shock significantly reduced
norepinephrine microvascular reactivity. Decreased microvascular reactivity was exacerbated by OVX and reversed by E2 supplement.
U-46619 (RhoA agonist) increased microvascular reactivity, and C3
transferase (an
ADP ribosyl
transferase that selectively induces RhoA ribosylation) or
Y-27632 (ROCK inhibitor) inhibited
sham mice microvascular reactivity. Similarly,
U-46619 increased microvascular reactivity in OVI and OVX mice following
hemorrhagic shock, which was abolished by
Y-27632 or concomitant incubation of
okadaic acid (OA) (MLCP inhibitor) and
Y-27632. In OVX plus E2 supplement mice with
hemorrhagic shock,
Y-27632 inhibited microvascular reactivity, which was abolished by concomitant
U-46619 application. Lastly,
hemorrhagic shock remarkably decreased intestinal loop blood flow, RhoA and ROCK
mRNA expressions in vascular tissues in OVX females, but not in OVI females, which were reversed by E2 supplement. These results indicate that
estrogen improves microvascular reactivity during
hemorrhagic shock, and RhoA-ROCK signaling pathway may mediate E2 effects.