Effect of bis(maltolato) oxovanadium on experimental vascular endothelial dysfunction

The study has been designed to investigate the effect of bis(maltolato) oxovanadium (BMOV), a protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, on hypercholesterolemia and hypertension-induced vascular endothelial dysfunction. High fat diet (8 weeks) band deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA; 40 mg kg(-1), s.c.) were administered to rats to produce hypercholesterolemia and hypertension (mean arterial blood pressure > 120 mmHg) respectively. Vascular endothelial dysfunction was assessed using isolated aortic ring preparation, electron microscopy of thoracic aorta, and serum concentration of nitrite/nitrate. Serum thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were estimated to assess oxidative stress. BMOV (0.2 mg/ml in drinking water) or atorvastatin (30 mg kg(-1), p.o.) markedly improved acetylcholine-evoked endothelium-dependent relaxation, lining of vascular endothelium, serum nitrite/nitrate I concentration, and serum TBARS in hypercholesterolemic and hypertensive rats. However, this ameliorative effect of BMOV has been prevented by L-NAME (25 mg kg(-1), i.p.), an inhibitor of NOS, or by glibenclamide (5 mg kg(-1), i.p.), a blocker of ATP-sensitive K+ channels. It may be concluded that BMOV-induced inhibition of PTPase may improve vascular endothelial dysfunction.