Department of Physical Therapy, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA, USA.
Med Sci Monit. 2013 May 6;19:339-46. doi: 10.12659/MSM.883902.
The vascular endothelium is the interface between the blood and vascular smooth muscle in arteries. It is easily damaged by oxidative stress. Recent studies show that Asians are more susceptible than Caucasians to impairment of endothelial function. This study examined endothelial function in US-born Caucasians, Asians from Korea, and US-born Asians (almost all Korean decent) and examined the effect of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) on endothelial function.
Twenty Caucasians and 30 Asians participated (<35 years old, males and females). Endothelial function was assessed by the skin blood flow response to local heat using a thermode for 6 minutes at 44°C and by vascular occlusion for 4 minutes followed by release and measurement of skin blood flow for 2 minutes. In the US-born subjects, the experiments were repeated after 2-week administration of CoQ10 or a placebo.
When applying 6 minutes of local heat at 44°C, the skin blood flows were significantly higher in Caucasians than both Asian groups Asians. Likewise after vascular occlusion, the blood flow response was greater in Caucasians compared to Asians. Asians born in Asia had the lowest response of the 3 groups of subjects. Administering CoQ10 for 2 weeks eliminated much of the difference between the groups, whereas there was no difference with a placebo.
These findings suggest that Asians either born in Asia or the US may have lower endothelial function than Caucasians. This may be explained, in part, by genetic variations causing increased oxidative stress from westernized diets in Asians. Co enzyme Q10 administration narrows the difference between the groups.
血管内皮是动脉中血液和血管平滑肌之间的界面。它很容易受到氧化应激的损伤。最近的研究表明，亚洲人比高加索人更容易受到内皮功能障碍的影响。本研究检查了出生于美国的高加索人、韩国的亚洲人和出生于美国的亚洲人（几乎都是韩国血统）的内皮功能，并研究了辅酶 Q10（CoQ10）对内皮功能的影响。
20 名高加索人和 30 名亚洲人（<35 岁，男女）参与了研究。内皮功能通过使用热模在 44°C 下局部加热 6 分钟来评估皮肤血流反应，以及通过血管闭塞 4 分钟，然后释放并测量皮肤血流 2 分钟来评估。在美国出生的受试者中，在给予 CoQ10 或安慰剂 2 周后重复实验。
当应用 44°C 的局部热 6 分钟时，高加索人的皮肤血流明显高于亚洲人两组。同样，在血管闭塞后，高加索人的血流反应也大于亚洲人。出生于亚洲的亚洲人是 3 组受试者中反应最低的。给予 CoQ10 2 周可消除组间的大部分差异，而安慰剂则无差异。
这些发现表明，无论是出生在亚洲还是美国的亚洲人，内皮功能可能都低于高加索人。这部分可能是由于亚洲人由于西方化饮食导致的氧化应激增加而存在遗传变异。辅酶 Q10 的给药缩小了组间的差异。
