2002 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

Identification of endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF) in human arteries.

Research Project

Project/Area Number	13670724
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Section	一般
Research Field	Circulatory organs internal medicine
Research Institution	Kyushu University
Principal Investigator	HIRAKAWA Yoji Kyushu Univ, Dept of CV Med, Assist Prof, Hospital, 医学部附属病院, 助手 (90332840)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	SHIMOKAWA Hiroaki Kyushu Univ, Dept of CV Med, Assoc Prof., 大学院・医学研究院, 助教授 (00235681)
Project Period (FY)	2001 – 2002
Keywords	EDHF / Vascular endothelial cells / EDRFs / Hydrogen peroxide
Research Abstract	We have recently identified that endothelium-derived hydrogen peroxide (H202) is an endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF) in mice (Journal of Clinical Investigation, 2002). In this series of experiments, we have examined whether H202 is also and EDHF in human arteries. In isolated human mesenteric arteries, EDHF-mediated responses were inhibited by catalase that specifically decomposes H202 into water and oxygen. Exopgenous H202 also exerted relaxations and hyperpolarizations of vascular smooth muscle. By contrast, we were unable to confirm other hypotheses on the nature of EDHF, including epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs), K ion, and gap junctions. These results indicate that H202 is also an EDHF in human mesenteric arteries.