This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 50/2/403    most recent HYPERTENSIONAHA.107.088294v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Van Guilder, G. P. Articles by DeSouza, C. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Van Guilder, G. P. Articles by DeSouza, C. A. Pubmed/NCBI databases Compound via MeSH Substance via MeSH Medline Plus Health Information Exercise for Children Exercise for Seniors Exercise and Physical Fitness Related Collections Risk Factors Exercise/exercise testing/rehabilitation Endothelium/vascular type/nitric oxide Related Article

(Hypertension. 2007;50:403.)
© 2007 American Heart Association, Inc.

Original Articles

Endothelin-1 Vasoconstrictor Tone Increases With Age in Healthy Men But Can Be Reduced by Regular Aerobic Exercise

Gary P. Van Guilder; Christian M. Westby; Jared J. Greiner; Brian L. Stauffer; Christopher A. DeSouza

From the Integrative Vascular Biology Laboratory (G.P.V.D., C.M.W., J.J.G., B.L.S., C.A.D.), Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado, Boulder; Department of Medicine (B.L.S., C.A.D.), University of Colorado at Denver Health Sciences Center, Denver; and Denver Health Medical Center (B.L.S.), Colo.

Correspondence to Christopher DeSouza, Integrative Vascular Biology Laboratory, Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado, 354 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309. E-mail desouzac{at}colorado.edu

Increased endothelin-1–mediated vasoconstrictor tone has been linked to the etiology of a number of pathologies associated with human aging, including hypertension, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease. However, it is currently unclear whether aging, per se, is associated with enhanced endothelin-1 system activity. We hypothesized that endothelin-1 vasoconstrictor activity is greater in healthy older compared with young men and that regular aerobic exercise is an effective intervention for reducing endothelin-1 vasoconstrictor tone in older previously sedentary men. Forearm blood flow (plethysmography) responses to intra-arterial infusion of endothelin-1 (5 pmol/min; for 20 minutes) and selective (BQ-123; 100 nmol/min; for 60 minutes) and nonselective (BQ-123+BQ-788; 100 nmol/min; for 60 minutes) endothelin-1 receptor blockade were determined in 28 healthy, sedentary men: 13 younger (age: 27±1 years) and 15 older (age: 62±2 years). The vasoconstrictor response to endothelin-1 was significantly blunted (65%) in the older versus younger men. In response to BQ-123, resting forearm blood flow increased (20%; P<0.05) in the older but not in the younger men. The addition of BQ-788 to BQ-123 did not significantly affect the blood flow responses to BQ-123 in either group. Eight of the 15 older sedentary men completed a 3-month aerobic exercise intervention. After the intervention, the vasoconstrictor response to endothelin-1 was markedly increased (225%; P<0.05), whereas BQ-123 resulted in modest vasoconstriction in the previously sedentary older men. These results demonstrate that endothelin-1–mediated vasoconstrictor tone increases with age in healthy men but can be alleviated with regular aerobic exercise.

Key Words: elderly • exercise • endothelin • blood flow regulation

Related Article:

Endothelin and Aged Blood Vessels: One More Reason to Get Off the Couch?

Dick H.J. Thijssen, Maria T.E. Hopman, and Benjamin D. Levine
Hypertension 2007 50: 292-293. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. J. Donato, L. B. Gano, I. Eskurza, A. E. Silver, P. E. Gates, K. Jablonski, and D. R. Seals Vascular endothelial dysfunction with aging: endothelin-1 and endothelial nitric oxide synthase Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, July 1, 2009; 297(1): H425 - H432. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. C. Hart, M. J. Joyner, B. G. Wallin, C. P. Johnson, T. B. Curry, J. H. Eisenach, and N. Charkoudian Age-Related Differences in the Sympathetic-Hemodynamic Balance in Men Hypertension, July 1, 2009; 54(1): 127 - 133. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. S. Kirby, W. F. Voyles, C. B. Simpson, R. E. Carlson, W. G. Schrage, and F. A. Dinenno Endothelium-dependent vasodilatation and exercise hyperaemia in ageing humans: impact of acute ascorbic acid administration J. Physiol., May 1, 2009; 587(9): 1989 - 2003. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Manfredini, A. M. Malagoni, S. Mandini, B. Boari, M. Felisatti, P. Zamboni, and R. Manfredini Sport Therapy for Hypertension: Why, How, and How Much? Angiology, April 1, 2009; 60(2): 207 - 216. [Abstract] [PDF]

				D. Versari, E. Daghini, A. Virdis, L. Ghiadoni, and S. Taddei The ageing endothelium, cardiovascular risk and disease in man Exp Physiol, March 1, 2009; 94(3): 317 - 321. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. W. Wray, S. K. Nishiyama, and R. S. Richardson Role of {alpha}1-adrenergic vasoconstriction in the regulation of skeletal muscle blood flow with advancing age Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, February 1, 2009; 296(2): H497 - H504. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. H. J. Thijssen, G. A. Rongen, P. Smits, and M. T. E. Hopman Physical (in)activity and endothelium-derived constricting factors: overlooked adaptations J. Physiol., January 15, 2008; 586(2): 319 - 324. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. W. Wray, S. K. Nishiyama, A. J. Donato, M. Sander, P. D. Wagner, and R. S. Richardson Endothelin-1-mediated vasoconstriction at rest and during dynamic exercise in healthy humans Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, October 1, 2007; 293(4): H2550 - H2556. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. H.J. Thijssen, M. T.E. Hopman, and B. D. Levine Endothelin and Aged Blood Vessels: One More Reason to Get Off the Couch? Hypertension, August 1, 2007; 50(2): 292 - 293. [Full Text] [PDF]