Mitochondrial-targeted Antioxidant Supplementation for Improving Age-related Vascular Dysfunction in Humans

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The majority of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) occur in men and women ≥60 years of age. Vascular dysfunction, including endothelial dysfunction, as assessed by reduced endothelium-dependent dilation (EDD), and stiffening of the large elastic arteries (i.e., aortic and carotid artery stiffening), is a major mechanism of increased risk of CVD in older adults. Excess production of ROS (reactive oxygen species) by mitochondria (mtROS) has emerged as a central feature of vascular oxidative stress with aging and driver of age-related vascular dysfunction. As such, identifying novel strategies to decrease mtROS and improve vascular function, to ultimately reduce the risk of age-related CVD, is an important biomedical objective. MitoQ is a mitochondria-targeted antioxidant that accumulates at the inner mitochondrial membrane where it is optimally positioned to reduce mtROS. Preclinical findings showed that 4 weeks of oral MitoQ supplementation completely restored EDD in old mice, ameliorated mtROS-associated suppression of EDD, and was associated with reduced arterial mtROS, oxidative…