Physiology (medical), Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine, Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology, Physiology
26
Scopus Publications
Scopus Publications
Ethnic and Sex Differences in Salt Sensitivity amongst Normotensive Young Adult Nigerians: Implications for Hypertension Prevention Ahmed Kolade Oloyo, Abdullahi Adeyinka Adejare, Oluwakemi Ololade Odukoya, Simiat Olanike Elias, Oyewole Adebiyi Kushimo, et al. Nigerian Postgraduate Medical Journal, 2026 Background: High dietary salt intake is a well-established modifiable risk factor for hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Salt sensitivity – a blood pressure (BP) phenotype defined by exaggerated BP response to salt loading, remains underrecognised in normotensive populations despite its strong link to adverse cardiovascular outcomes. The burden and determinants of salt sensitivity amongst young Nigerians remain poorly understood. Aims: This study aimed to identify demographic and behavioural risk factors associated with salt sensitivity, explore potential ethnic and sex-related differences and determine the independent predictors of salt-sensitive (SS) BP response amongst normotensive young adult Nigerians. Subjects and Methods: An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect demographic and behavioural data. Participants underwent a 5-day salt-loading protocol. BP, serum and urinary electrolytes were assessed before and after salt-loading. Data were analysed using appropriate statistical tools and P values set at P < 0.05. Results: Among the participants, 24% were SS. The prevalence of salt sensitivity was higher in Igbos (47.8%) compared to Yorubas (20.5%). SS individuals had significantly lower baseline systolic, diastolic and MA P values and reduced urinary sodium concentrations pre-salt loading, particularly among females. There were no statistically significant associations between salt sensitivity and body mass index, sleep duration or residential location ( P > 0.05). Conclusions: Salt sensitivity is common amongst normotensive young adult Nigerians, with clear ethnic and sex-related differences. The observed subclinical BP alterations and reduced sodium excretion suggest early renal or vascular dysregulation in SS individuals. These findings underscore the need for early identification and targeted prevention strategies to reduce future hypertension risk in this population.
Perinatal Exposure of Dams to a High Salt Diet Impaired Vascular Function and Elevated Biomarkers of Inflammation in the Offspring Ahmed Kolade Oloyo, Santan Modokpe Olley, Esther Ngozi Ohihoin, Abdullahi Adeyinka Adejare, Khadijah Bolanle Ismail-Badmus, et al. Clinical Medicine Insights Cardiology, 2025 Background: The heritability of salt-sensitive hypertension and the heightened susceptibility of offspring to maternal perinatal high salt diet (HSD) indicate that hypertension may originate early in life. However, the mechanism underlying this phenomenon remains unclear. We hypothesized that perinatal exposure of dams to HSD will increase inflammation, impair vascular function and elevate blood pressure (BP) in the adult offspring. Methods: Pregnant rats were fed a normal (0.3%) or high (8%) salt diet during pregnancy and the offspring from each group were weaned at 4 weeks of age and placed on normal salt diet (NSD) for 12 weeks. BP measurement, vascular reactivity studies, and ELISA assay for C-reactive proteins (CRP), Tumor Necrotic Factor (TNF-α), and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) were carried out. Data were analyzed using student t -test. The significance level was set at P -values ⩽.05. Results: The offspring of dams exposed to perinatal HSD exhibited elevated BP parameters compared to those from dams on NSD. Although the maximum contractile response to noradrenaline was similar in both groups ( P > .05), the maximum relaxation response to acetylcholine was significantly reduced in offspring of HSD-exposed dams ( P < .01), indicating impaired endothelial function. Furthermore, perinatal HSD led to increased levels of CRP, TNF-α, and IL-6 in the offspring, indicating heightened systemic and vascular inflammation. Conclusion: Findings from this study show that maternal perinatal HSD increased biomarkers of inflammation, impaired endothelial function and elevated BP in the adult offspring. These findings suggest maternal perinatal consumption of high dietary salt renders the offspring more susceptible to hypertension in adulthood.
Simulated occupational exposure to volatile organic compounds from industrial printing ink alter behavioral, neurological, oxidative, hepatic, and kidney indices in mice Ogugua I. Nedozi, Temitope O. Sogbanmu, Muhammed M. Abdulrazaq, Ahmed K. Oloyo Archives of Environmental and Occupational Health, 2025 Industrial printing inks are major sources of occupational exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with potential adverse effects. The behavioral, neurological, oxidative, hepatic, and kidney function effects of simulated occupational exposure to VOCs emitted from an industrial printing ink were investigated in laboratory mice, Mus musculus for 4 weeks. Average TVOCs value of 0.5 mg/m3 measured at 10 printing presses was the exposure level utilized in this study. There were significant duration-dependent and sex-disaggregated differences in the behavioral responses; acetylcholinesterase (neurological biomarker) and MDA (lipid peroxidation biomarker) activities significantly increased while SOD and CAT (antioxidants) activities significantly decreased in the brain; ALT, AST, and ALP (liver) as well as bilirubin, urea, and creatinine (kidney) were significantly elevated in exposed mice correlating with histopathologies compared to control. The results showed that long term inhalation of VOCs emitted from industrial printing inks may pose multiple sub-lethal effects in occupationally exposed persons, especially females.
Brain Antioxidant Status and Gene Expressions of Nicotinic and Dopamine Receptors are Improved by Black Seed (Nigella Sativa) Oil Administration in Cigarette Smoke or Nicotine Vapour-Exposed Rats Abdullahi Adejare, A.K. Oloyo, I.O Ishola, A.A. Busari, K.B. Ismail-Badmus, et al. Nigerian Journal of Physiological Sciences, 2023 Background: Smoking is associated with dysregulation of the antioxidant system and addiction.
 Aim: This study sought to ascertain the effect of Nigella Sativa (NS) oil on the antioxidant system, nicotine/tobacco addiction as well as the expressions of α4β2 nicotinic (nAChR) and dopamine type-2 (DRD2) receptors in selected brain regions of the rat.
 Methods: Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 6 groups comprising of vehicle-treated control, NS oil only, Smoke only, Smoke + NS oil, Nicotine only and Nicotine + NS oil. Animals were passively exposed to cigarette smoke or nicotine vapour for 12 weeks, however, NS oil treatment commenced from 9th-12th week of the experimental duration.
 Results: Nicotine vapour and cigarette smoke-induced increase in cotinine level were significantly ameliorated by NS treatment. Cigarette smoke or nicotine vapour exposure significantly (p<0.05) decreased the level of antioxidant enzymes while increasing malondialdehyde level in the brain homogenates of the rats. Administration of NS oil significantly (p<0.05) reversed the reduced antioxidant level. Cigarette-smoke also significantly increased α4-nAChR expression in the frontal cortex and olfactory bulb compared to control. Nicotine vapour significantly increased DRD2 expression only in the olfactory cortex. NS oil administration reduced both the cigarette-smoke-induced increase in α4-nAChR and nicotine vapour-induced increase in DRD2 gene expression only in the olfactory cortex.
 Conclusion: Findings from this study suggest that NS oil improves brain antioxidant status while ameliorating nicotine vapour and cigarette smoke addiction through down-regulation of α4-nAChR and DRD2 gene expressions in discrete brain regions in Sprague-Dawley rats.
A report on less-severe, long-duration persistent hind-limb ischemia surgical rabbit model VS HARIKRISHNAN, SJ SHENOY, VR RANARAJ, S SUKHIJA, AK OLOYO Journal of the Hellenic Veterinary Medical Society, 2021 Development of a persistent hind limb ischemia rabbit model without excessive adverse symptoms and compromised animal welfare. New Zealand White (n=18, male and female) rabbits of 3-4 months of age and 3.0± 0.1 Kg body weight were used. The surgical technique for ischemia avoided the ligation of vessels above the inguinal ligament and included only the ligation and complete excision of the common and superficial femoral arteries along with all their branches up to popliteal and saphenous arteries. Study duration was 84 days. All animals completed the study period uneventfully. The activity of the animals remained unaffected throughout the study except for the first post-operative day. Adverse symptoms of other models such as loss of limb due to necrosis, loss of nails and necrosis of skin were not observed while successful ischemia was confirmed. There was a significant decrease (P=0.0381) in ischemic right limb circumference.Terminal angiography by abdominal aortic cannulation in the animals demonstrated negligible amount of angiogenesis at the distal ischemic thigh in comparison to the control limb (P=0.001). This study reports successful development of a refined chronic hindlimb ischemia rabbit model.
Water rehydration blunted vasopressin, angiotensin ii and hsp70 responses to high environmental temperature without altering plasma osmolality in male sprague-dawleys rats African Journal of Biomedical Research, 2020
Differential responses to endothelial-dependent relaxation of the thoracic and abdominal aorta from male sprague-dawley rats Nigerian Journal of Physiological Sciences, 2012
Testosterone enhances the early onset and promotes the increase in magnitude of salt-induced hypertension in male Sprague-Dawley rats African Journal of Biomedical Research, 2011
