[Frontiers in Bioscience 14, 3128-3144, January 1, 2009]

Oxidative stress and accelerated vascular aging: implications for cigarette smoking

Anna Csiszar1, Andrej Podlutsky2, Michael S. Wolin1, Gyorgy Losonczy3, Pal Pacher4, Zoltan Ungvari1

1Department of Physiology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, 2The Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas 78245, 3Pulmonológiai Klinika, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary, 4National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism, Park Bldg., Rm. 445, 12420 Parklawn Drive, MSC-8115, Bethesda, MD 20892-8115

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Abstract
2. Introduction
3. Cigarette smoke-induced vascular oxidative-nitrosative stress
4. Cigarette smoke-induced endothelial DNA damage
5. Cigarette smoke-induced vascular inflammation
6. Cigarette smoke-induced PARP activation
7. Cigarette smoke-induced endothelial activation
8. Accelerated vascular aging in cigarette smokers
9. Perspective
10. Acknowledgement
11. References

1. ABSTRACT

Cigarette smoking is the major cause of preventable morbidity and mortality in the United States and constitutes a major risk factor for atherosclerotic vascular disease, including coronary artery disease and stroke. Increasing evidence supports the hypothesis that oxidative stress and inflammation provide the pathophysiological link between cigarette smoking and CAD. Previous studies have shown that cigarette smoke activates leukocytes to release reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) and secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines, increases the adherence of monocytes to the endothelium and elicits airway inflammation. Here we present an overview of the direct effects of water-soluble cigarette smoke constituents on endothelial function, vascular ROS production and inflammatory gene expression. The potential pathogenetic role of peroxynitrite formation, and downstream mechanisms including poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) activation in cardiovascular complications in smokers are also discussed.