Alteration in the availability of epoxyeicosatrienoic acids contributes with NO to the development of endothelial dysfunction in conduit arteries during aging.

Background And Aims: The mechanisms involved in endothelial dysfunction in humans during aging are largely unknown at the level of conduit arteries. We aimed to asses the role of NO and CYP450 epoxygenases-derived epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) in the regulation of endothelium-dependent flow-mediated dilatation of conduit arteries during aging.

Methods: Radial artery diameter and mean wall shear stress were determined by echotracking coupled with Doppler in 83 subjects (19-71 years old) during a sustained flow increase induced by hand skin heating, with the brachial infusion of saline or NO-synthase and cytochrome P450 epoxygenase inhibitors (L-NNMA and fluconazole respectively). Local blood sampling was performed for the quantification of NO metabolite nitrite and EETs.

Results: The magnitude of flow-mediated dilatation was independently and negatively correlated with age, baseline artery diameter and systolic blood pressure, and positively correlated with the increase in shear stress induced by heating. There was an increase in nitrite level during heating until the age of 35-40 years, which declined thereafter. However, the inhibitory effect of L-NMMA on flow-mediated dilatation progressively decreased during aging, demonstrating a decrease in functional NO availability. Moreover, aging progressively reduced the increase in EET level during heating as well as the inhibitory effect of fluconazole on flow-mediated dilatation.

Conclusions: These results show that aging impairs the availability of EETs and NO and epoxyeicosatrienoic acids in peripheral conduit arteries, contributing to the development of endothelial dysfunction.