Deuterium-depleted water (DDW) has a lower concentration of deuterium
than occurs naturally (less than 145 ppm). While effects of DDW on cancer started to be intensively studied, the effects on cardiovascular system are completely unknown. Thus, we aimed to analyze the effects
of DDW (55±5 ppm) administration to 12-week-old normotensive Wistar
-Kyoto rats (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) treated with 15 % fructose for 6 weeks. Blood pressure (BP) and selected
biochemical parameters were measured together with determination of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity and iNOS and eNOS protein expressions in the left ventricle (LV) and aorta. Neither DDW nor fructose had any significant effect on BP in both strains. DDW treatment decreased total cholesterol and triglyceride levels in WKY, but it was not able to prevent increase in the same parameters elevated due to fructose treatment in SHR. Both fructose and DDW increased insulin level in WKY. Fructose did not affect NOS activity either in WKY or SHR. DDW increased NOS activity in LV of both WKY and SHR, while it
decreased NOS activity and iNOS expression in the aorta of SHR with or without fructose treatment. In conclusion, DDW treatment significantly modified biochemica l parameters in WKY together with NOS activity elevation in the heart. On the other hand, it did not affect biochemical parameters in SHR, but decreased NOS activity elevated due to iNOS upregulation in the aorta.