Endothelium-Dependent Relaxation of Rabbit Aorta

Exposure of isolated arteries to oxidatively modified low density lipoprotein (LDL) has been reported to suppress endothelium-dependent relaxation (EDR). To determine whether lipid degradation products in oxidized LDL contribute to impaired relaxation, we have tested the responsiveness of isolated rabbit aortas to endothelium-dependent relaxants (acetylcholine, ATP, and calcium ionophore A23187) and nitroglycerin before and after 2-hour incubations with selected lipids and LDL preparations. Concentrations (10 ,M) of lecithin, phosphatidylserine, lysophosphatidylserine, sphingomyelin, phosphatidic acid, palmitate, arachidonate, and auto-oxidized arachidonate had no effect on EDR. Concentrations (10 ,uM) of lysolecithin, lyso-platelet activating factor, and sphingosine significantly suppressed endotheliumdependent relaxation. Native LDL (100 ,ug/ml incubation buffer) containing only small amounts of lysophosphatidylcholine exerted no effect on EDR. In contrast, LDL preparations oxidatively modified by exposure to cultured endothelial cells or copper inhibited EDR. When modified LDL was depleted of its lysolecithin by treatment with a selective phospholipase B (lysolecithinase), the inhibitory effects were attenuated. In contrast, native LDL accumulating lysolecithin under the influence of a phospholipase A2 (lecithinase) exerted inhibitory effects mimicking those of oxidized LDL. Lipids and lipoproteins had no effect on the responsiveness to nitroglycerin, an endothelium-independent vasodilator. We conclude that lysolecithin in oxidatively modified LDL contributes importantly to its vasomotor effects. (Circulation Research 1993;72:161-166)