RESUMO
Objective To investigate the effect of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), superoxide dismutase-polyethylene glycol (PEG-SOD) and N(G)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) on impaired endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) functions in DOCA-salt hypertensive mice. Methods DOCA-salt hypertension was created and systolic blood pressure was measured by tail-cuff methods. EPC was isolated from bone marrow of mice and characterized by flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy. EPC of DOCA-salt mice was incubated with BH4, PEG-SOD, and L-NNA for 24 h, then in vitro EPC function assays were performed. Results Compared with control group, systolic blood pressure was significantly increased in DOCA-salt mice. Both EPC adhesion and angiogenesis functions were impaired in DOCA-salt mice compared to control animals, which were reversed by incubation with BH4, PEG-SOD and L-NNA. Conclusion BH4, PEG-SOD and L-NNA rescued the impairments from EPC functions in DOCA-salt hypertensive mice.