endothelialderived

Endothelial-derived refers to substances and mediators produced and released by endothelial cells, the specialized cells that line the interior surface of blood vessels. These mediators influence vascular tone, hemostasis, inflammation, and tissue remodeling. The term encompasses a range of chemical classes, including gases, lipids, peptides, and extracellular vesicles.

Prominent endothelial-derived mediators include nitric oxide (NO), prostacyclin (PGI2), and endothelin-1 (ET-1). NO promotes vasodilation by stimulating soluble guanylate cyclase in smooth muscle, while PGI2 raises cAMP to aid relaxation and inhibit platelet aggregation. ET-1 is a potent vasoconstrictor with roles in vascular tone and smooth muscle proliferation. Endothelial-derived hyperpolarizing factors (EDHFs) contribute to vasodilation through hyperpolarization of vascular smooth muscle. Endothelium also releases extracellular vesicles and microparticles that carry signaling molecules and can reflect vascular health or disease.

Functions of endothelial-derived mediators are central to normal physiology: regulation of blood flow, maintenance of blood fluidity, barrier function, and angiogenesis. They also participate in inflammatory signaling and the response to vascular injury. Disruption of endothelial-derived signaling, particularly reduced NO bioavailability, is associated with endothelial dysfunction and is linked to hypertension, atherosclerosis, diabetes, heart failure, and pulmonary vascular diseases. Clinical assessment often uses noninvasive measures of endothelial function, such as flow-mediated dilation, and biomarker studies of NO metabolites or endothelin-1.

Research into endothelial-derived mediators informs therapeutic strategies, including endothelin receptor antagonists, NO-modulating approaches, and approaches targeting endothelial-derived extracellular vesicles as biomarkers or mediators of disease.