title: Vascular biology of ageing-Implications in hypertension.
abstract: Ageing is associated with functional, structural and mechanical changes in arteries that closely resemble the vascular alterations in hypertension. Characteristic features of large and small arteries that occur with ageing and during the development of hypertension include endothelial dysfunction, vascular remodelling, inflammation, calcification and increased stiffness. Arterial changes in young hypertensive patients mimic those in old normotensive individuals. Hypertension accelerates and augments age-related vascular remodelling and dysfunction, and ageing may impact on the severity of vascular damage in hypertension, indicating close interactions between biological ageing and blood pressure elevation. Molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying vascular alterations in ageing and hypertension are common and include aberrant signal transduction, oxidative stress and activation of pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic transcription factors. Strategies to suppress age-associated vascular changes could ameliorate vascular damage associated with hypertension. An overview on the vascular biology of ageing and hypertension is presented and novel molecular mechanisms contributing to these processes are discussed. The complex interaction between biological ageing and blood pressure elevation on the vasculature is highlighted. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: CV Ageing.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, BHF Glasgow Cardiovascular Research Centre, University of Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Harvey
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, BHF Glasgow Cardiovascular Research Centre, University of Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: Augusto C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Montezano
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, BHF Glasgow Cardiovascular Research Centre, University of Glasgow, UK. Electronic address: Rhian.Touyz@glasgow.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Rhian M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Touyz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D000071248:Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha; D055765:Shc Signaling Adaptor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D000071425:Src Homology 2 Domain-Containing, Transforming Protein 1; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; C486497:PPARGC1A protein, human; D000071248:Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha; C528024:SHC1 protein, human; D055765:Shc Signaling Adaptor Proteins; D000071425:Src Homology 2 Domain-Containing, Transforming Protein 1; D014157:Transcription Factors; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
keywords: Endothelial dysfunction; Mitochondria; Oxidative stress; Vascular remodeling