ABSTRACT
In bovine and porcine coronary arteries, endothelium-derived hyperpolar iz ing factor ( E D H F ) cou ld be a cytochrome P450 metabolite, such as an epoxyeicosatrienoic acid ( E E T ) ( R u b a n y i and Vanhout te 1987; K o m o r i and Vanhout te 1990; Hecker et al, 1994; P o p p et al, 1996; L i and C a m p b e l l , 1997; Fissl thaler et al, 1999). Indeed, E E T s are produced f rom coronary artery endothelial cells (Roso lowsky et al, 1990; C a m p b e l l et al, 1996; R o s o l o w s k y and C a m p b e l l , 1996) and can hyperpolarize vascular smooth muscle (Campbe l l et al, 1996; E c k m a n et al, 1998, Fissl thaler et al, 1999). Inhibi tors o f the cytochrome P450 monoxygenase and antisense ol igo nucleotides suppress E D H F - m e d i a t e d responses i n coronary arteries f rom various species ( R o s ó l o w s k i and C a m p b e l l , 1993; Bauersachs et al, 1994; Hecker et al, 1994; F u l t o n et al, 1995; Gra i e r et al, 1996; M i u r a and Gut te rman , 1998; Fissl thaler et al, 1999; B o l z et al, 2000). In those b l o o d vessels, E E T s increase the activity o f
208 A. H. Weston et al.
