%E2%80%94which%20line%20blood%20vessels%E2%80%94are%20essential%20for%20forming%20new%20blood%20vessels,%20a%20process%20known%20as%20angiogenesis.%20Under%20low%20oxygen%20(hypoxic)%20conditions,%20cells%20activat...){kind=link}
Increasing NAD+ Partially Restores Endothelial Cell Function Under Low Oxygen: Preclinical Findings
Synopsis
Healthy endothelial cells (ECs)—which line blood vessels—are essential for forming new blood vessels, a process known as angiogenesis. Under low oxygen (hypoxic) conditions, cells activate enzymes called prolyl hydroxylases (PHDs) that regulate this process, but their precise role in blood vessel health is unclear. In this study, researchers used a chemical called DMOG to block PHD activity in human ECs and found that it impaired cell growth, movement, and vessel formation. This was linked to disrupted metabolism, including lower mitochondrial activity and reduced NAD+ levels, even though genes promoting glycolysis increased. Supplementing cells with nicotinamide riboside (NR)—a vitamin B3 derivative and NAD+ booster—or citrate helped restore NAD+, partially rescuing EC migration and function. These findings reveal that NAD+ metabolism is critical for endothelial health and that NR supplementation may help support blood vessel repair in conditions of low oxygen or metabolic stress.
Journal
iScience