title: Functional implications of a newly characterized pathway of 11,12-epoxyeicosatrienoic acid metabolism in arterial smooth muscle.
abstract: Epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) are potent vasodilators derived from cytochrome P-450 metabolism of arachidonic acid. The rapid conversion of EETs to their corresponding dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acids (DHETs) has been proposed as a process whereby EETs are rendered biologically inactive. However, the vascular metabolism of EETs and the vasoactivities of EET metabolites have not been extensively studied. Accordingly, 11,12-EET metabolism was characterized in porcine aortic smooth muscle cells. The cells converted [3H]11,12-EET to 11,12-DHET and to a newly identified metabolite, 7,8-dihydroxy-hexadecadienoic acid (DHHD). 11,12-DHET accumulation in the medium reached a maximum in 2 to 4 hours and then declined, whereas 7,8-DHHD accumulation increased continuously and exceeded the amount of 11,12-DHET by 8 hours. [3H]11,12-EET conversion to radiolabeled 7,8-DHHD was reduced in the presence of unlabeled 11,12-DHET, indicating that 11,12-DHET is an intermediate in the conversion of 11,12-EET to 7,8-DHHD. This is consistent with a pathway whereby 11,12-EET is converted by an epoxide hydrolase to 11,12-DHET, which then undergoes two beta-oxidations to form 7,8-DHHD. In porcine coronary artery rings contracted with a thromboxane mimetic, 11,12-DHET produced relaxation similar in magnitude to that produced by 11,12-EET (77% versus 64% relaxation at 5 mumol/L, respectively). 7,8-DHHD also produced vasorelaxation. Thus, the vasoactivity of 11,12-EET is not eliminated by conversion to 11,12-DHET and 7,8-DHHD. These results suggest that 11,12-DHET and its metabolite, 7,8-DHHD, may contribute to the regulation of vascular tone in the porcine coronary artery and possibly other vascular tissues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Iowa, Iowa City 52242, USA.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Kaduce
authors.forename: N L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Weintraub
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: VanRollins
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Spector
mesh_terms: D015126:8,11,14-Eicosatrienoic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D007700:Kinetics; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: C046783:11,12-epoxy-5,8,14-eicosatrienoic acid; D015126:8,11,14-Eicosatrienoic Acid