The Role of Arachidonic Acid Metabolizing Cytochromes P450 in the Control of Cardiovascular Functions

Arachidonic acid (AA) is widely distributed in many organs and can be metabolized in several ways into small lipid molecules: eicosanoides that perform a physiological and/or pathophysiological role. Among them, epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EET) and hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids (HETE), which are produced by cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes, have attracted much attention. AA metabolites play an important role in such cellular processes as proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis and are also involved in the development of organs and tissues as well as in the pathogenetic processes underlying the development of various diseases; in particular, AA metabolites formed with the participation of CYP are involved in normal and pathological processes associated with the functioning of the cardiovascular system. This review focuses on the formation and cardiovascular effects of CYP-generated AA metabolites and summarizes current literature data on the physiological and pathophysiological significance of the CYP-dependent AA metabolic pathway and its relevance to the cardiovascular system in both health and disease.