ABSTRACT

Metabol i tes o f arachidonic acid ( A A ) formed by extra hepatic cytochrome P450 can be released f rom bo th endothelial and parenchymal cells and help to regulate regional b l o o d flow. B o t h hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids ( H E T E s ) and epoxyeicosatrienoic acids ( E E T s ) not only function as signal t ransduction molecules regulating the excitabil i ty o f vascular smooth muscle (El l is et al, 1990; Gebremedhin et al, 1992; K o m o r i et al, 1993) but its mitogenic activity as well (Burns et al, 1995, C h e n et al, 1998; Munzenma ie r and Harder , 2000). These actions o f H E T E s and E E T s are mediated by phosphory la t ion and regulat ion o f membrane i on channel proteins, and by the induc t ion o f intracellular second messengers (Shivachar et al, 1995; Lange et al, 1997; N o d e et al, 1999).