Sato, Junichi

Increased production of oxygen free radicals is an important mechanism of endothelial dysfunction in diabetes mellitus. Our goal was to test whether adenovirus (Ad)-mediated gene transfer of copper/zinc (CuZn) or manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn SOD) improves relaxation of diabetic vessels. The aortas from 9 alloxan-induced diabetic mellitus (DM) and 16 control rabbits were used. Control and DM rings were transduced ex vivo with Ad vectors encoding Mn SOD (AdMn SOD), CuZn SOD (AdCuZn SOD), β-galactosidase (Adβgal), or diluents. In the absence of gene transfer, SOD activity was significantly increased in DM aortas. Transgene expression in DM AdCuZn SOD and DM AdMn SOD-transduced vessels was confirmed by Western blot analysis and by increased SOD activity (DM AdCuZn SOD, 76.2 ± 9.3; DM AdMn SOD, 65.2 ± 4.8; P < 0.05 vs. DM Adβgal; 50.9 ± 4.4 U/mg protein). Superoxide production was increased in DM Adβgal-transduced aorta and relaxations to acetylcholine were impaired in these vessels. Gene transfer of CuZn SOD and Mn SOD corrected both of these defects. Thus Ad-mediated gene transfer CuZn and Mn SOD to the diabetic aorta improves endothelium-dependent relaxation.

Background and Purpose —Hypercholesterolemia is associated with abnormal endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation due to decreased nitric oxide bioavailability. Our aim was to examine the effect of adenovirus-mediated gene transfer of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) to the hypercholesterolemic rabbit carotid artery in vivo. In addition, we examined whether adenovirus-mediated gene transfer was associated with vascular dysfunction. Methods —Rabbits were fed a 1% cholesterol diet for 4 weeks followed by a 0.5% cholesterol diet for 6 weeks. Vascular reactivity was assessed in nontransduced carotid arteries from chow- and cholesterol-fed animals. In addition, carotid arteries were surgically isolated, and 2 separate doses of adenoviral vectors encoding eNOS or β-galactosidase (AdβGal) on the contralateral side were delivered to the lumen (1×10 10 and 5×10 10 pfu/mL). Results —Abnormal acetylcholine-mediated endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation was detected in the carotid artery from cholesterol-fed animals, whereas responses to calcium ionophore A23187 and diethylamine NONOate were normal. Vascular reactivity was similar in nontransduced and AdβGal-transduced hypercholesterolemic vessels. In vessels transduced with eNOS, transgene expression was demonstrated by immunostaining in both the endothelium and the adventitia and by Western blot analysis. High-dose but not low-dose eNOS gene transfer enhanced endothelium-dependent relaxation in vessels from cholesterol-fed rabbits. Conclusions —Adenovirus-mediated gene transfer of eNOS to carotid arteries of cholesterol-fed animals improves endothelium-dependent relaxation when an optimal viral titer is administered.