Effects of 15-hydroperoxy-eicosatetraenoic acid (15-HPETE) on cerebral arterioles of cats.

The effects of topical application of 15-hydroperoxy-eicosatetraenoic acid (15-HPETE, 200 micrograms/ml) on cerebral arterioles were studied in anesthetized cats equipped with cranial windows. 15-HPETE induced arteriolar dilation during application, sustained dilation 1 h after washout, and reduced responsiveness to the vasoconstrictive effects of hypocapnia. Electron microscopy of cerebral arterioles disclosed discrete endothelial lesions and focal morphological abnormalities of the vascular smooth muscle. Topical application of superoxide dismutase or catalase or the combination of the two inhibited the functional and morphological abnormalities induced by 15-HPETE. The results show that the vascular effects of 15-HPETE are mediated by superoxide anion radical and hydrogen peroxide or by other radicals derived from them, such as the hydroxyl radical. The results, together with earlier findings, support the view that the oxygen radicals responsible for these cerebral vascular effects are generated via the prostaglandin hydroperoxidase reaction.