Physiol. Res. 49: 11-18, 2000

MINIREVIEW


Age-Related Endothelial Dysfunction with Respect to Nitric Oxide, Endothelium-Derived Hyperpolarizing Factor and Cyclooxygenase Products

R. L. Matz, C. Schott, J. C. Stoclet, R. Andriantsitohaina

Laboratoire de Pharmacologie et Physico-Chimie des Interactions Cellulaires et Moléculaires, UMR CNRS 7034, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Louis Pasteur de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France
 

Received July 30, 1999
Accepted September 21, 1999


Summary
Vascular aging is associated with both structural and functional changes that can take place at the level of the endothelium, vascular smooth muscle cells and the extracellular matrix of blood vessels. With regard to the endothelium, reduced vasodilatation in response to agonists occurs in large conduit arteries as well as in resistance arteries with aging. Reviews concerning the different hypotheses that may account for this endothelial dysfunction have pointed out alterations in the equilibrium between endothelium-derived relaxing and constricting factors. Thus, a decreased vasorelaxation due to nitric oxide and, in some arteries, endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor as well as an increased vasoconstriction mediated by cyclooxygenase products such as thromboxane A2 are likely to occur in age-induced impairment of endothelial vasodilatation. Furthermore, enhanced oxidative stress plays a critical role in the deleterious effect of aging on the endothelium by means of nitric oxide breakdown due to reactive oxygen species. The relative contribution of the above phenomenon in age-related endothelial dysfunction is highly dependent on the species and type of vascular bed.


Key words
Vascular aging · Endothelial dysfunction · NO · EDHF · Cyclooxygenase
 


Reprint requests
R. Andriantsitohaina, Laboratoire de Pharmacologie et Physico-Chimie des Interactions Cellulaires et Moléculaires, UMR CNRS 7034, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Louis Pasteur, 74, route du Rhin, B.P. 24, 67401 Illkirch, France. Fax : (33) 3 88 66 46 33; E-mail : nain@pharma.u-strasbg.fr


© 2000 by the Institute of Physiology, Czech Academy of Sciences