Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology
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Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol. · Mar 2011
α1AMP-activated protein kinase preserves endothelial function during chronic angiotensin II treatment by limiting Nox2 upregulation.
Besides its well-described metabolic effects, vascular AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) can activate endothelial NO synthase, promotes angiogenesis, and limits endothelial cell apoptosis. The current study was designed to study the effects of α1AMPK deletion during vascular disease in vivo. ⋯ Our data indicate that in vivo α1AMPK deletion leads to Nox2 upregulation, resulting in endothelial dysfunction and vascular inflammation. This implicates basal AMPK activity as a protective, redox-regulating element in vascular homeostasis.