Human exposure to drinking water contaminated with arsenic is a serious global health concern and predisposes to cardiovascular disease states, such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, and microvascular disease. The most sensitive target of arsenic toxicity in the vasculature is the endothelium, and incubation of these cells with low concentrations of arsenite, a naturally occurring and highly toxic inorganic form of arsenic, rapidly induces reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation via activation of a specific NADPH oxidase (Nox2). Arsenite also induces ROS accumulation in vascular smooth muscle cells, but this is relatively delayed because, depending on the vessel from which they originate, these cells often lack Nox2 and/or its essential regulatory cytosolic subunits. The net effect of such activity is attenuation of endothelium-dependent conduit artery dilation via superoxide anion-mediated scavenging of nitric oxide (NO) and inhibition and downregulation of endothelial NO synthase, events that are temporally matched to the accumulation of oxidants across the vessel wall. By contrast, ROS induced by the more toxic organic trivalent arsenic metabolites (monomethylarsonous and dimethylarsinous acids) may originate from sources other than Nox2. As such, the mechanisms through which vascular oxidative stress develops in vivo under continuous exposure to all three of these potent arsenicals are unknown. This review is a comprehensive analysis of the mechanisms that mediate arsenic effects associated with Nox2 activation, ROS activity, and endothelial dysfunction, and also considers future avenues of research into what is a relatively poorly understood topic with major implications for human health.

Myocardial perfusion and coronary vascular resistance are regulated by signalling metabolites released from the local myocardium that act either directly on the vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) or indirectly via stimulation of the endothelium. A prominent mechanism of vasodilation is endothelium-derived hyperpolarization (EDH) of the arteriolar smooth muscle, with epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) playing important roles in EDH in the coronary microcirculation. In some cases, EETs and H2O2 are released as transferable hyperpolarizing factors (EDHFs) that act directly on the VSMCs. By contrast, EETs and H2O2 can also promote endothelial Ca2+-activated K+ channel activity secondary to the amplification of extracellular Ca2+ influx and Ca2+ mobilization from intracellular stores, respectively. The resulting endothelial hyperpolarization may subsequently conduct to the media via myoendothelial gap junctions, or potentially lead to the release of a chemically-distinct factor(s). Furthermore, in human isolated coronary arterioles dilator signalling involving EETs and H2O2 may be integrated; being either complimentary or inhibitory depending on the stimulus. With an emphasis on the human coronary microcirculation, this review addresses the diverse and integrated mechanisms by which EETs and H2O2 regulate vessel tone, and also examines the hypothesis that myoendothelial microdomain signalling facilitates EDH activity in the human heart.

Endothelium-derived epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) are fatty acid epoxides that play an important role in the control of vascular tone in selected coronary, renal, carotid, cerebral and skeletal muscle arteries. Vasodilation due to endothelium-dependent smooth muscle hyperpolarization (EDH) has been suggested to involve EETs as a transferable endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor. However, this activity may also be due to EETs interacting with the components of other primary EDH-mediated vasodilator mechanisms. Indeed, the transfer of hyperpolarization initiated in the endothelium to the adjacent smooth muscle via gap junction connexins occurs separately or synergistically with the release of K+ ions at discrete myoendothelial microdomain signalling sites. The net effects of such activity are smooth muscle hyperpolarization, closure of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels, phospholipase C deactivation and vasodilation. The spatially localized and key components of the microdomain signalling complex are the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor-mediated endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ store, Ca2+-activated K+ (KCa), transient receptor potential (TRP) and inward-rectifying K+ channels, gap junctions and the smooth muscle Na+/K+-ATPase. Of these, TRP channels and connexins are key endothelial effector targets modulated by EETs. In an integrated manner, endogenous EETs enhance extracellular Ca2+ influx (thereby amplifying and prolonging KCa-mediated endothelial hyperpolarization) and also facilitate the conduction of this hyperpolarization to spatially remote vessel regions. The contribution of EETs and the receptor and channel subtypes involved in EDH-related microdomain signalling, as a candidate for a universal EDH-mediated vasodilator mechanism, vary with vascular bed, species, development and disease and thus represent potentially selective targets for modulating specific artery function.

Endothelium-dependent smooth muscle hyperpolarization (EDH) increasingly predominates over endothelium-derived nitric oxide (NO) as a participant in vasodilation as vessel size decreases. Its underlying nature is highly variable between vessel types, species, disease states, and exact experimental conditions, and is variably mediated by one or more transferable endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factors and/or the electrotonic spread of endothelial hyperpolarization into the media via gap junctions. Although generally regarded (and studied) as a mechanism that is independent of NO and prostanoids, evidence has emerged that the endothelium-derived contracting factor and prostanoid thromboxane A2 can modulate several signalling components central to EDH, and therefore potentially curtail vasodilation through mechanisms that are distinct from those putatively involved in direct smooth muscle contraction. Notably, vascular production of thromboxane A2 is elevated in a number of cardiovascular disease states that promote endothelial dysfunction. This review will therefore discuss the mechanisms through which thromboxane A2 interacts with and modulates EDH, and will also consider the implications of such cross-talk in vasodilator control in health and disease.

No abstract

Chronic arsenic ingestion predisposes to vascular disease, but underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. In the present study we have analyzed the effects of short-term arsenite exposure on vascular function and endothelium-dependent relaxation.Endothelium-dependent relaxations, nitric oxide (NO) and endothelium derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF)-type, were studied in rabbit iliac artery and aortic rings using the G protein-coupled receptor agonist acetylcholine (ACh) and by cyclopiazonic acid (CPA), which promotes store-operated Ca2+ entry by inhibiting the endothelial SERCA pump. Production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the endothelium of rabbit aortic valve leaflets and endothelium-denuded RIA and aortic rings was assessed by imaging of dihydroethidium.In the iliac artery, exposure to 100 μM arsenite for 30 min potentiated EDHF-type relaxations evoked by both CPA and ACh. Potentiation was prevented by catalase, the catalase/superoxide dismutase mimetic manganese porphyrin and the NADPH oxidase inhibitor apocynin. By contrast in aortic rings, that exhibited negligible EDHF-type responses, endothelium-dependent NO-mediated relaxations evoked by CPA and ACh were unaffected by arsenite. Arsenite induced apocynin-sensitive increases in ROS production in the aortic valve endothelium, but not in the media and adventitia of the iliac artery and aorta.Our results suggest that arsenite can potentiate EDHF-type relaxations via a mechanism that is dependent on hydrogen peroxide, thus demonstrating that dismutation of the superoxide anion generated by NADPH oxidase can potentially offset loss of NO bioavailability under conditions of reduced eNOS activity. By contrast, selective increases in endothelial ROS production following exposure to arsenite failed to modify relaxations mediated by endogenous NO.