
Cardiovascular disease is the major cause of morbidity and mortality in breast cancer survivors. Chemotherapy contributes to this risk. We aimed to define the mechanisms of long-term vascular dysfunction caused by neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) and identify novel therapeutic targets. We studied arteries from postmenopausal women who had undergone breast cancer treatment using docetaxel, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide (NACT) and from women with no history of such treatment matched for key clinical parameters. We explored mechanisms in WT and Nox4-/- mice and in human microvascular endothelial cells. Endothelium-dependent, NO-mediated vasodilatation was severely impaired in patients after NACT, while endothelium-independent responses remained normal. This was mimicked by a 24-hour exposure of arteries to NACT agents ex vivo. When applied individually, only docetaxel impaired endothelial function in human vessels. Mechanistic studies showed that NACT increased inhibitory eNOS phosphorylation of threonine 495 in a Rho-associated protein kinase-dependent (ROCK-dependent) manner and augmented vascular superoxide and hydrogen peroxide production and NADPH oxidase activity. Docetaxel increased expression of the NADPH oxidase NOX4 in endothelial and smooth muscle cells and NOX2 in the endothelium. A NOX4 increase in human arteries may be mediated epigenetically by diminished DNA methylation of the NOX4 promoter. Docetaxel induced endothelial dysfunction and hypertension in mice, and these were prevented in Nox4-/- mice and by pharmacological inhibition of Nox4 or Rock. Commonly used chemotherapeutic agents and, in particular, docetaxel alter vascular function by promoting the inhibitory phosphorylation of eNOS and enhancing ROS production by NADPH oxidases.
Women's Health (rcdc), Vascular (mesh), Molecular biology, NADPH Oxidase 4 (mesh), Docetaxel, 3208 Medical Physiology (for-2020), 11 Medical and Health Sciences (for), Vascular biology, Aging (rcdc), Mice, Breast cancer, 31 Biological sciences (for-2020), Animals (mesh), 32 Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (for-2020), Cancer (rcdc), Humans (mesh), R, Mice (mesh), Vascular/metabolism, Cardiovascular disease, Breast Cancer (rcdc), NADPH Oxidase 4, NADPH Oxidases (mesh), Hypertension, Medicine, Cardiovascular (rcdc), Female, Immunology (science-metrix), Research Article, Breast Neoplasms, Endothelial Cells/metabolism, Breast cancer; Cardiovascular disease; Molecular biology; Vascular Biology, Breast Neoplasms (mesh), 42 Health sciences (for-2020), Vascular Biology, Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism, Vascular, Animals, Humans, Endothelium, NADPH Oxidase 4/genetics, Hypertension (rcdc), Cardiovascular (hrcs-hc), Docetaxel (mesh), Reactive Oxygen Species (mesh), Hypertension/chemically induced, NADPH Oxidases/genetics, Endothelial Cells, NADPH Oxidases, 2.1 Biological and endogenous factors (hrcs-rac), 3211 Oncology and Carcinogenesis (for-2020), 32 Biomedical and clinical sciences (for-2020), Breast Neoplasms/metabolism, Female (mesh), Endothelial Cells (mesh), Endothelium, Vascular, Reactive Oxygen Species, Hypertension (mesh), Endothelium, Vascular/metabolism
Women's Health (rcdc), Vascular (mesh), Molecular biology, NADPH Oxidase 4 (mesh), Docetaxel, 3208 Medical Physiology (for-2020), 11 Medical and Health Sciences (for), Vascular biology, Aging (rcdc), Mice, Breast cancer, 31 Biological sciences (for-2020), Animals (mesh), 32 Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (for-2020), Cancer (rcdc), Humans (mesh), R, Mice (mesh), Vascular/metabolism, Cardiovascular disease, Breast Cancer (rcdc), NADPH Oxidase 4, NADPH Oxidases (mesh), Hypertension, Medicine, Cardiovascular (rcdc), Female, Immunology (science-metrix), Research Article, Breast Neoplasms, Endothelial Cells/metabolism, Breast cancer; Cardiovascular disease; Molecular biology; Vascular Biology, Breast Neoplasms (mesh), 42 Health sciences (for-2020), Vascular Biology, Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism, Vascular, Animals, Humans, Endothelium, NADPH Oxidase 4/genetics, Hypertension (rcdc), Cardiovascular (hrcs-hc), Docetaxel (mesh), Reactive Oxygen Species (mesh), Hypertension/chemically induced, NADPH Oxidases/genetics, Endothelial Cells, NADPH Oxidases, 2.1 Biological and endogenous factors (hrcs-rac), 3211 Oncology and Carcinogenesis (for-2020), 32 Biomedical and clinical sciences (for-2020), Breast Neoplasms/metabolism, Female (mesh), Endothelial Cells (mesh), Endothelium, Vascular, Reactive Oxygen Species, Hypertension (mesh), Endothelium, Vascular/metabolism
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 18 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Average | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% |
