Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 23, 2026

Assessment of Vascular Tone Responsiveness using Isolated Mesenteric Arteries with a Focus on Modulation by Perivascular Adipose Tissues
08:41

Assessment of Vascular Tone Responsiveness using Isolated Mesenteric Arteries with a Focus on Modulation by Perivascular Adipose Tissues

Published on: June 3, 2019

Endothelial venodilator response in carriers of genetic polymorphisms involved in NO synthesis and degradation

Ruth Fricker1, Christiane Hesse, Johanna Weiss

  • 1Department of Internal Medicine VI, Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacoepidemiology, University of Heidelberg, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany.

British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology
|July 17, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Genetic variations in NOSIII and CYBA genes do not appear to affect blood vessel function in healthy individuals. This study found no significant link between these gene polymorphisms and endothelial-dependent vasodilation before cardiovascular disease onset.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Genetics
  • Vascular Biology
  • Molecular Cardiology

Background:

  • Polymorphisms in NOSIII and CYBA genes are linked to cardiovascular diseases like hypertension and myocardial infarction.
  • Endothelial dysfunction, characterized by impaired vasodilation, is a hallmark of these conditions.
  • It is hypothesized that gene variations may influence endothelial function even before clinical manifestation of cardiovascular disease.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate whether polymorphisms in the NOSIII and CYBA genes modulate endothelium-dependent vasodilation in healthy individuals.
  • To assess the potential role of these gene variations in early endothelial function before overt cardiovascular disease.

Main Methods:

  • Endothelium-dependent and -independent venodilation were measured in 72 healthy males using bradykinin and sodium nitroprusside.
  • Vascular responses were assessed in the dorsal hand vein after phenylephrine-induced preconstriction.
  • Genotyping was performed for NOSIII (T-786C, G894T, (CA)n) and CYBA (C242T) gene polymorphisms.

Main Results:

  • No significant differences in venodilator responses to bradykinin or sodium nitroprusside were observed between different genotypes of the studied polymorphisms.
  • The number of (CA)n repeat copies in the NOSIII gene did not correlate with bradykinin-induced venodilation.
  • Specific genotype carriers showed no significant modulation of venodilation compared to wild-type individuals.

Conclusions:

  • The investigated polymorphisms of the NOSIII and CYBA genes do not appear to significantly alter endothelium-dependent venodilation in individuals without known vascular risk factors.
  • These findings suggest that these specific genetic variations may not be early indicators of endothelial dysfunction in a healthy population.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Assessing Endothelial Vasodilator Function with the Endo-PAT 200007:46

Assessing Endothelial Vasodilator Function with the Endo-PAT 2000

Published on: October 15, 2010

A Methodological Approach to Non-invasive Assessments of Vascular Function and Morphology09:33

A Methodological Approach to Non-invasive Assessments of Vascular Function and Morphology

Published on: February 7, 2015

Related Concept Videos

Pharmacogenetic Phenotypes: Alterations in Pharmacokinetics, Drug Targets and Biologic Milieu01:29

Pharmacogenetic Phenotypes: Alterations in Pharmacokinetics, Drug Targets and Biologic Milieu

Genetic variations significantly influence drug response through pharmacokinetics, receptor interactions, and biologic milieu modifications. Pharmacokinetic alterations impact drug metabolism and clearance, affecting efficacy and toxicity. Variants in drug-metabolizing enzymes, such as CYP2C9 and CYP2C19, alter drug activation and elimination. For example, CYP2C9 loss-of-function variants require lower warfarin doses to prevent excessive bleeding, while CYP2C19 variants reduce clopidogrel...
Pharmacogenetics of Drug Targets: β₂-Adrenergic Receptors, Apo E, Thymidylate Synthase01:11

Pharmacogenetics of Drug Targets: β₂-Adrenergic Receptors, Apo E, Thymidylate Synthase

Genetic polymorphisms in drug targets have emerged as critical determinants of interindividual variability in drug response and toxicity. Pharmacogenomic investigations increasingly focus on identifying these variations to personalize and optimize therapeutic interventions. A drug target may be a receptor, enzyme, or signaling protein involved in pharmacologic responses or disease-related pathways. While early pharmacogenetic studies focused primarily on drug metabolism, current research...
Nitric Oxide Signaling Pathway01:28

Nitric Oxide Signaling Pathway

Nitric oxide (NO), an inorganic gas, acts as a potent second messenger in most animal and plant tissues. NO diffuses out of the cells that produce it and enters the neighboring cells to generate a downstream response. NO synthase (NOS) catalyzes NO production by the deamination of the amino acid arginine. There are three isoforms of NOS. Endothelial cells have endothelial NOS (eNOS), nerve and muscle cells have neuronal NOS (nNOS), and macrophages produce inducible NOS (iNOS) upon exposure to...
Pharmacogenetics of Drug Metabolism: Overview01:27

Pharmacogenetics of Drug Metabolism: Overview

Genetic polymorphism in drug metabolism is crucial to the inter-individual variability observed in drug responses. Drug metabolism primarily involves the chemical modification of drugs and other xenobiotics to enhance their elimination by increasing their polarity. Two main classes of enzymes mediate this biotransformation process: Phase I enzymes, primarily cytochrome P450s, catalyze oxidation and reduction reactions, while other enzymes, such as esterases, mediate hydrolysis, and Phase II...
Drug toxicity: Idiosyncratic Reactions01:16

Drug toxicity: Idiosyncratic Reactions

Idiosyncratic drug reactions represent abnormal chemical responses that vary significantly among individuals, ranging from extreme sensitivity to low doses to insensitivity to high doses. These reactions often occur due to the drug's covalent binding with serum proteins, forming a foreign hapten that triggers an immunotoxicological response. The variability in drug reactions has a strong pharmacogenetic foundation, with genetic differences crucial in how individuals metabolize drugs. For...
Pharmacogenetics of Drug Transporters: P-Glycoprotein and Solute Carrier Transporters01:16

Pharmacogenetics of Drug Transporters: P-Glycoprotein and Solute Carrier Transporters

The pharmacogenetics of drug transporters is increasingly recognized as a critical factor influencing interindividual variability in drug absorption, distribution, and elimination. These membrane-bound proteins regulate drugs' movement across cellular barriers by actively pumping them out (efflux) or facilitating their uptake (influx). Among the major transporter families, ATP-binding cassette (ABC) and solute carrier (SLC) transporters play particularly prominent roles. Genetic polymorphisms...