Roles of the epoxygenase CYP2J2 in the endothelium

Cytochrome p450 (CYP)2J2 is an epoxygenase enzyme that metabolises arachidonic acid to epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs). EETs are inactivated by soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH), which converts them in to their corresponding dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acids (DHETs). CYP2J2 is highly expressed in cardiovascular tissue including the heart and vascular endothelial cells. CYP2J2 and the EETs it produces have been shown to have a diverse range of effects on the vasculature, including the regulation of inflammation, vascular tone, cellular proliferation, angiogenesis, and metabolism. This review will examine these established and emerging roles of CYP2J2 in the biology of vascular endothelial cells.

► The CYP2J family are a group of CYP450 lipid metabolising epoxygenases.
► CYP2J are expressed in a variety of tissues including endothelial cells.
► CYP2J and its products regulate tone, inflammation, metabolism and angiogenesis.
► The CYP2J2*7 SNP carries increased risk of coronary artery disease and hypertension.