<International Circulation>: What is your opinion about the role of oxidative Stress in the development of renal hypertension?

Prof. Huang Yu: Oxidative stress is certainly involved in the process leading to endothelial cell function while endothelial dysfunction is one of very early and important event in the initiation and development of atherosclerosis. Normal vascular function is locally maintained by a balance between endothelium-derived nitric oxide (NO) and prostacyclin (both are vasodilators and potent inhibitors of platelet activation and aggregation) and ROS. ROS such as superoxide anions， bind to NO to form other reactive free radicals causing further damage to endothelial cell and smooth muscle cell function in blood vessels. We tend to believe that ROS plays a key role in endothelial dysfunction in the model of renovascular hypertension， which may also involve other pro-inflammatory factors.

 <International Circulation>: Would you tell us the meaning of this basic study in the cardiovascular field? Do you think these new advances can give patients more hope in the future?

Prof. Huang Yu: The core of any recognized cardiovascular program is basic research， because only through research can we advance our ability to diagnose and treat patients with vascular disease. Several major breakthroughs have been made in recent years in translating basic research findings into successful therapies， e.g. sildenafil (a vascular smooth muscle phosphodiesterase inhibitor) which is widely used in the treatment of male erectile dysfunction， is now extended to treating pulmonary artery disease; selective estrogen receptor modulators (a promising alternative to hormone replacement therapy) used in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis and vascular symptoms.

<International Circulation>: Please talk about the outlook of antioxidant therapy in renal hypertension.

Prof. Huang Yu: There are limited studies on the antioxidant therapy on renovascular hypertension. We did some work on animals and drug treatment could improve endothelial cell function by reducing oxidative stress as supported by improved endothelium-dependent relaxation and reduced endothelium-dependent contraction in renal arteries. Since I am not a clinician， I can not speculate further.