| Talk title | Endothelium and Combat Against Vascular Diseases |
| Speaker | Prof. Yu HUANG Professor of Biomedical Sciences and the founding Director Associate Director (Research), School of Biomedical Sciences Director (Basic Science), Heart and Vascular Institute Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China |
| Date & Time | 16 Oct 2019 (Wed) 9:30-10:30 |
| Venue | Room G004, E12 Building (University of Macau) |
| Abstract | Healthy vascular endothelium is the critical player in maintaining vascular homeostasis through releasing several vaso-protective substances called endothelium-derived relaxing factors (EDRFs) such as nitric oxide. By contrast, loss of EDRFs in diseased endothelial cells unmasks the vaso-harmful impact of endothelium-derived contracting factors (EDCFs) such as vaso-constrictive prostanopids. Such disrupted balance between EDRFs and EDCFs in endothelium is referred to endothelial dysfunction, an important initial pathological event that triggers pathogenesis of vascular diseases in hypertension and diabetes. Increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the vascular wall is probably the key factor to inactivate nitric oxide within endothelial cells. Understanding and targeting the sources of ROS is effective to increase the bioavailability of endothelium-derived nitric oxide, thus preserving endothelial function in cardio-metabolic diseases. For example, a number of drugs clinically used to treat cardiovascular and metabolic diseases are able to reduce vascular oxidative stress so as to augment endothelial function in arteries from animals of diseases and from patients. In addition, targeting endothelium is also useful to inhibit vascular inflammation and disturbed blood flow-associated development of atherosclerosis. |