Abstract
The vascular endothelium, in response to pulsatile flow and vaso-active agents including acetylcholine1,2, secretes the endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF), a substance which regulates vascular tone. Recent interest in EDRF has focused on its possible dysfunction in atherosclerosis1. In animal models of the disease, endothelium-dependent relaxation is markedly reduced3,4. The continuous exposure of the endothelium in hyperlipidaemia to high concentrations of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), a known atherogenic risk factor, may explain this dysfunction. Here, we demonstrate that pathophysiological concentrations of LDL directly inhibit endothelium-dependent relaxation. Chemically modified LDL, in contrast, is inactive, implying that the inhibition is through a receptor-dependent mechanism.
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References
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Andrews, H., Bruckdorfer, K., Dunn, R. et al. Low-density lipoproteins inhibit endothelium-dependent relaxation in rabbit aorta. Nature 327, 237–239 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1038/327237a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/327237a0
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