Hydrogen peroxide-induced endothelium-dependent relaxation of rat aorta involvement of Ca2+ and other cellular metabolites.

In phenylephrine-precontracted rings, H2O2 produced an endothelium-dependent relaxation at concentrations of 4.4 x 10(-7) to approximately 4.4 x 10(-5) M. Removal of extracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]0) markedly attenuated the relaxant effects of H2O2. Complete inhibition of the H2O2 relaxant action was obtained after buffering intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) in endothelial cells, with 10 microM acetyl methyl ester of bis (o-aminophenoxy) ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA-AM). These relaxant effects of H2O2 were nearly abolished by 15 x 10(-5)M N(G)-monomethyl-arginine (L-NMMA) or 5 x 10(-5) M N(G)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NAME) and were attenuated markedly by the presence of either 10(-6) M Fe2+, 10(-6) M Fe3+, or 5 x 10(-6) M methylene blue. These inhibitory effects of L-NMMA or L-NAME could be reversed partly by 5 x 10(-5) M L-arginine. These Fe(2+)- and Fe(3+)-induced inhibitions of H2O2-stimulated relaxation were reduced significantly by either 1.0 mM deferoxamine (a Fe2+ chelator) or 100 microM dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). In addition, 17-octadecynoic acid (2.5 microM) or proadifen (10 microM) (both antagonists of cytochrome P450 metabolism of fatty acids) markedly decreased the H2O2 relaxant effects. Proadifen (10 microM) produced concentration-dependent impairment of vasorelaxation to acetylcholine. A variety of amine antagonists and a cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor all fail to interfere with or attenuate the H2O2-induced relaxations. Our observations suggest that, at suitable pathophysiologic concentrations, H2O2 could induce release of an endothelium-derived relaxing factor, probably nitric oxide, from endothelial cells. The H2O2 relaxant effects are clearly Ca(2+)-dependent and require formation of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). These vasorelaxing effects of H2O2 appear to be induced by H2O2 itself. Hydrogen peroxide may stimulate production of some unknown metabolites metabolized by cytochrome P450-dependent enzymes.