Aging decreases the production of PGI2 in rat aortic endothelial cells.

It has been suggested that progressive pathophysiologic modifications of endothelium are associated with aging. Aging has been shown to influence some specific functions at the cellular level. In the present study, the effects of aging on levels of prostacyclin (PGI2) production were examined in cultured rat aortic endothelial cells from young (six-week-old) and old (100-week-old) Wistar rats. The level of PGI2 production from rat aortic endothelial cells decreased significantly with increasing age, suggesting decreased function of the endothelial cells. The production of PGI2 stimulated by thrombin was decreased in old rat aortic endothelial cells compared to young rat aortic endothelial cells, whereas there was no difference in the rate of intracellular calcium mobilization caused by thrombin. These data indicate that aging nonuniformly affects both basal and agonist-induced levels of PGI2 production in rat aortic endothelial cells, and that this diminution in PGI2 production may be related to the age-related potentiation of various thrombotic events.