Overexpression of Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase Improves Endothelium-Dependent Vasodilation in Arteries Infused with Helper-Dependent Adenovirus

Adenoviral vectors (Ad) are useful tools for in vivo gene transfer into endothelial cells. However, endothelium-dependent vasodilation is impaired after Ad infusion, and this impairment is not prevented by use of advanced-generation “helper-dependent” (HD) Ad that lack all viral genes. We hypothesized that endothelium-dependent vasodilation could be improved in Ad-infused arteries by overexpression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). We tested this hypothesis in hyperlipidemic, atherosclerosis-prone rabbits because HDAd will likely be used for treating and preventing atherosclerosis. Moreover, the consequences of eNOS overexpression might differ in normal and atherosclerosis-prone arteries and could include atherogenic effects, as reported in transgenic mice. We cloned rabbit eNOS and constructed an HDAd that expresses it. HDAdeNOS increased NO production by cultured endothelial cells and increased arterial eNOS mRNA in vivo by ∼10-fold. Compared to arteries infused with a control HDAd, HDAdeNOS-infused arteries of hyperlipidemic rabbits had significantly improved endothelium-dependent vasodilation, and similar responses to phenylephrine and nitroprusside. Moreover, infusion of HDAdeNOS had local atheroprotective effects including large, significant decreases in intimal lipid accumulation and arterial tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α expression (p≤0.04 for both). HDAdeNOS infusion yields a durable (≥2 weeks) increase in arterial eNOS expression, improves vasomotor function, and reduces artery wall inflammation and lipid accumulation. Addition of an eNOS expression cassette improves the performance of HDAd, has no harmful effects, and may reduce atherosclerotic lesion growth.