Upregulation of vascular NAD(P)H oxidase subunit gp91phox and impairment of the nitric oxide signal transduction pathway in hypertension

Superoxide dismutase mimetic M40403 improves endothelial function in apolipoprotein(E)-deficient mice

1. Overproduction of superoxide anions in the vascular wall contributes to endothelial dysfunction in vascular disease. A superoxide-generating reduced beta-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase has recently been identified as a major source of oxidative radicals in vascular tissues. We studied the effects of a synthetic manganese-containing superoxide dismutase (SOD) mimetic, M40403, on NADPH oxidase-dependent superoxide generation and on endothelial dysfunction. 2. In rat aortic smooth muscle cells, NADPH (100 micro M) markedly stimulated superoxide production as detected by lucigenin (5 micro M)-enhanced chemiluminescence. M40403 reduced NADPH oxidase-dependent superoxide production in a concentration-dependent manner, with IC(50) being 31.6 micro M. In contrast, native Cu/Zn SOD (up to 300 U ml(-1)) had no effect. Angiotensin II (100 nM) increased the NADPH oxidase activity by 70%, and treatment with M40403 (10 micro M) reduced this increased superoxide to the control level. 3. In aortae from apolipoprotein(E)-deficient mice (apoE(0)) with hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis, superoxide production is largely derived from NADPH oxidase. The attenuation of endothelial nitric oxide vasodilator function parallels the increase in vascular superoxide production at different stages of the disease. Acute incubation of such aortic rings with M40403 significantly suppressed superoxide production and improved endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation to a level comparable to that in wildtype control mice. 4. In summary, the cell-permeable SOD mimetic M40403 was found to reverse endothelial dysfunction in apoE(0) aorta ex vivo by decreasing NADPH oxidase-dependent superoxide levels. The advantages of synthetic SOD mimetics over the native Cu/Zn SOD enzyme, such as greater cell permeability and stability, confer significant therapeutic potential in vascular disease.

Dietary protein restriction in pregnancy induces hypertension and vascular defects in rat male offspring

It is established that dietary protein restriction of pregnant rats results in their offspring developing hypertension. However, to date no studies have investigated peripheral vascular function of offspring using the low protein model. Therefore, the aim of the study was to assess isolated resistance artery function from adult male offspring of control (C, 18% casein) and protein-restricted (PR, 9% casein) pregnant dams at two different ages. The birthweight of PR offspring did not significantly differ from that of C offspring. Systolic blood pressure was significantly elevated in PR compared with C (p < 0.05). Maximal vascular contraction to phenylephrine and the thromboxane analog U46619 were similar in C and PR offspring at postnatal d 87 and 164. Relaxation induced by the endothelium-dependent vasodilators acetylcholine or bradykinin was significantly reduced in the PR group (p < 0.05). Relaxation to the endothelium-independent vasodilator sodium nitroprusside and phosphodiesterase type 3 inhibitor cilostamide was less in the PR offspring compared with C (p < 0.01). Dietary protein restriction in pregnancy induces hypertension and vascular dysfunction in male offspring. Abnormalities in the nitric oxide-cGMP pathway may explain the defect in endothelium-dependent and -independent relaxation. Reduced vasodilation may be a potential mechanism underlying the elevated systolic blood pressure observed in this model.

Detection of superoxide in vascular tissue

During the past decade, it has become apparent that reactive oxygen species play a critical role in the genesis of many vascular diseases. The superoxide anion is among the most important of these, not only because of its rapid reaction with NO but also because it serves as a progenitor for many other reactive oxygen species. Although there are many approaches to detecting and quantifying superoxide in chemical systems, its detection in intact tissues is more difficult. The validity of the most popular and frequently used assay for this purpose, lucigenin-enhanced chemiluminescence, has been recently questioned. It has been suggested that lucigenin itself, especially at high concentrations (>50 micromol/L), may act as a source for superoxide via redox cycling. Lower lucigenin concentrations (5 micromol/L) do not participate in redox cycling to an important extent in intact tissues and, therefore, provide an accurate assessment of the rate of superoxide production in such samples. Other useful assays for superoxide include those using the fluorescent dye dihydroethidine, 2-methyl-6-phenyl-3,7-dihydroimidazo(1,2-alpha)pyrazin-3-one (CLA), and 2-(p-hydroxybenzyl)-6-(p-hydroxyphenyl) 8-benzylimidazo[1,2-alpha]pyrazin-3-one (coelenterazine). The chemiluminescent compound 5-amino-2,3-dihydroxy-1,4-phthalayineidone (luminol) may also be used to detect various reactive oxygen species and may be made specific for various oxidants, such as hydrogen peroxide, superoxide, and peroxynitrite, by altering the experimental conditions. Although each of these methods may be associated with potential artifacts, the use of > or =2 different techniques that yield similar results provides a reliable approach for the study of reactive oxygen species in intact vascular tissues.