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  • Title: Altered arachidonic acid metabolism via COX-1 and COX-2 contributes to the endothelial dysfunction of penile arteries from obese Zucker rats.
    Author: Sánchez A, Contreras C, Villalba N, Martínez P, Martínez AC, Bríones A, Salaíces M, García-Sacristán A, Hernández M, Prieto D.
    Journal: Br J Pharmacol; 2010 Feb 01; 159(3):604-16. PubMed ID: 20082610.
    Abstract:
    BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The aim of the current study was to investigate the role of arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism via cyclooxygenase (COX) in the endothelial dysfunction of penile arteries from pre-diabetic, obese Zucker rats (OZR). EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Penile arteries from OZR and from lean Zucker rats (LZR) were mounted in microvascular myographs to assess vascular function and COX expression was determined by immunohistochemistry. KEY RESULTS: Acetylcholine (ACh) and AA elicited relaxations that were impaired in arteries from OZR. Inhibition of both COX-1 and COX-2 reduced the relaxant effects of ACh and AA in LZR but not in OZR. Inhibitors of COX-1 and of the TXA(2)/PGH(2) (TP) receptor enhanced the relaxations induced by AA in both LZR and OZR, whereas COX-2 inhibition enhanced these responses only in OZR. TP receptor blockade did not restore ACh relaxant responses in arteries from OZR. Inhibition of COX-1 increased basal tension in OZR and this contraction was blunted by TP receptor blockade. The vasoconstrictor responses to noradrenaline were augmented by indomethacin and by COX-2 inhibition in LZR but not in OZR. Immunohistochemical staining showed that both COX-1 and COX-2 are expressed in the endothelium of penile arteries from both LZR and OZR. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Vasoactive prostanoids were formed via constitutively active COX-1 and COX-2 pathways in normal rat penile arteries. Under conditions of insulin resistance, the release and/or effects of vasodilator prostanoids were impaired, contributing to the blunted endothelium-dependent vasodilatation and to the enhanced vasoconstriction.
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