title: Endothelial dysfunction in the pulmonary vascular bed.
abstract: The pulmonary endothelium modulates vascular tone by the release of endothelium-derived constricting (EDCF) and relaxing (EDRF) factors, among them endothelin-1, nitric oxide, prostacyclin, and putative endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factors. Abnormalities in EDCF and EDRF generation have been demonstrated in a number of cardiopulmonary disease states, such as primary and secondary pulmonary hypertension, chronic obstructive lung disease, cardiopulmonary bypass, and congestive heart failure. An imbalance between EDCF and EDRF, termed "pulmonary endothelial dysfunction," may contribute to the alteration in vascular tone characteristic of pulmonary disease. The following review summarizes the present knowledge of the role of EDCF and EDRF in such processes with major focus on pulmonary endothelial dysfunction in hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham 35294-0007, USA.
authors.forename: Y F
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oparil
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077868:Atrasentan; D000077300:Bosentan; D018849:Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D065128:Endothelin Receptor Antagonists; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D016232:Endothelins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011464:Epoprostenol / Q000378:metabolism; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000378:metabolism; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000503:physiopathology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000494:pharmacology; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic / Q000494:pharmacology; D010880:Piperidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D011652:Pulmonary Circulation; D011759:Pyrrolidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D017466:Receptors, Endothelin / Q000378:metabolism; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D065128:Endothelin Receptor Antagonists; D019332:Endothelin-1; D016232:Endothelins; D009842:Oligopeptides; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic; D010880:Piperidines; D011759:Pyrrolidines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017466:Receptors, Endothelin; D013449:Sulfonamides; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C086539:BQ 788; D011464:Epoprostenol; D000077300:Bosentan; C072247:cyclo(Trp-Asp-Pro-Val-Leu); D000077868:Atrasentan