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It is not clear whether endothelial cell (EC) activation by the hormone angiotensin II (Ang II) modulates contraction of vascular smooth muscle ceils (VSMCs) in the vasculature and whether impairment of this regulation in vivo contributes to hypertension. Delineation of the actions of Ang II through the type 1 receptor (AT1R) on ECs in the blood vessels has been a challenging problem because of the predominance of the AT1R functions in VSMCs that lie underneath the endothelium. We have obviated this limitation by generating transgenic (TG) mice engineered to target expression of the constitutively active N111G mutant AT1R only in ECs. In these TG mice, the enhanced angiotensinergic signal in ECs without infusion of Ang II resulted in hypotension and bradycardia. The pressor response to acute infusion of Ang II was significantly reduced. Increased expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase and production of hypotensive mediators, nitric oxide and cyclic guanosine monophosphate, cause these phenotypes. Hypotension and bradycardia observed in the TG mice could be rescued by treatment with an AT1R-selective antagonist. Our results imply that the Ang II action by means of EC-AT1R is antagonistic to vasoconstriction in general, and it may moderate the magnitude of functional response to Ang II in VSMCs. This control mechanism in vivo most likely is a determinant of altered hemodynamic regulation involved in endothelial dysfunction in hypertensive cardiovascular disease. angiotensin II receptor | endothelial nitric oxide synthase | hypertension | nitric oxide | angiotensin receptor blockers

Protein levels and polymorphisms of p22phox have been suggested to modulate vascular NAD(P)H oxidase activity and vascular production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). We sought to determine whether increasing p22phox expression would alter vascular ROS production and hemodynamics by targeting p22phox expression to smooth muscle in transgenic (Tg) mice. Aortas of Tgp22smc mice had increased p22phox and Nox 1 protein levels and produced more superoxide anti H2O2. Surprisingly, endothelium-dependent relaxation and blood pressure in Tgp22smc mice were normal. Aortas of Tgp22smc mice produced twofold more nitric oxide (NO) at baseline and sevenfold more NO in response to calcium ionophore as detected by electron spin resonance. Western blot analysis revealed a twofold increase in endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) protein expression in Tgp22smc mice. Both eNOS expression and NO production were normalized by infusion of the glutathione peroxidase mimetic ebselen or by crossing Tgp22smc mice with mice overexpressing catalase. We have previously found that NO stimulares extracellular superoxide dismutase (ecSOD) expression in vascular smooth muscle. In keeping with this, aortic segments from Tgp22smc mice expressed twofold more ecSOD, and chronic treatment with the NOS inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester normalized this, suggesting that NO regulates ecSOD protein expression in vivo. These data indicate that chronic oxidative stress caused by excessive H2O2 production evokes a compensatory response involving increased eNOS expression and NO production. NO in turn increases ecSOD protein expression and counterbalances increased ROS production leading to the maintenance of normal vascular function and hemodynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasma nitrite/nitrate levels reflect oxidation of formed nitric oxide (NO ) but are not indicative of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) function due to interference by dietary nitrates and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Nitrosyl hemoglobin (NOHb), a metabolic product of nitric oxide, may better correlate with bioavailable NO but it may depend on the activity of different nitric oxide synthase (NOS) isoforms and may be affected by dietary nitrite/nitrate. We examined the correlation between vascular endothelial NO release and circulating blood levels of NOHb. We measured NOHb in blood using electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrometry and also quantified vascular production of NO using colloid Fe(DETC)(2) and ESR in mouse and human venous blood before and after treatment with the beta-blocker carvedilol. Exclusively the inhibition with L-NAME and not the treatment with the selective neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) inhibitor, N-AANG or with the selective inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) inhibitor, 1400W, halved NOHb formation, which reflects the complete inhibition of NO release by aortic endothelium. The relationship between NOHb and NO production by the endothelium (0.23 microM NOHb to 3.73 microM/hour of NO per mg of aorta dry weight) was found to be identical for both C57Blk/6 mice and for mice with vascular smooth muscle-targeted expression of p22phox associated with strong increase in eNOS activity. Furthermore, the treatment of patients with cardiovascular diseases with carvedilol for 3 weeks increases up to 2 times the circulating NOHb concentration. These results demonstrate the important role of eNOS in the formation of circulating NOHb and suggest that NOHb can be used as a noninvasive marker of endothelial NO production in vivo.