Acute effects of MitoQ on vascular endothelial function are influenced by cardiorespiratory fitness and baseline FMD in middle‐aged and older adults

Abstract A key mechanism promoting vascular endothelial dysfunction is mitochondrial‐derived reactive oxygen species (mtROS). Aerobic exercise preserves endothelial function in preclinical models by lowering mtROS. However, the effects of mtROS on endothelial function in exercising and non‐exercising adults is limited. In a double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled crossover study design 23 (10 M/13 F, age 62.1 ± 11.5 years) middle‐aged and older (MA/O, ≥45 years) adults were divided into two groups: exercisers (EX, n = 11) and non‐exercisers (NEX, n = 12). All participants had endothelial function (brachial artery flow‐mediated dilatation, FMD BA ) measured before and ∼1 h after mitoquinone mesylate (MitoQ) (single dose, 80 mg) and placebo supplementation. A two‐way repeated measures ANOVA was used to determine the effects of MitoQ and placebo on FMD BA . Pearson correlations assessed the association between the change in FMD BA with MitoQ and baseline FMD BA and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). Compared with placebo, MitoQ increased FMD BA in NEX by + 2.1% (MitoQ pre: 4.9 ± 0.4 vs . post: 7.0 ± 0.4 %, P = 0.004, interaction) but not in EX ( P = 0.695, interaction). MitoQ also increased endothelial function in adults with a FMD BA 6% ( P = 0.855, interaction). Baseline FMD BA and CRF were correlated (r = 0.44, P = 0.037), whereas the change in FMD BA with MitoQ was inversely correlated with CRF (r = ‐0.66, P < 0.001) and baseline FMD BA (r = ‐0.73, P < 0.0001). The relationship between the change in FMD BA and baseline FMD BA remained correlated after adjusting for CRF (r = ‐0.55, P = 0.007). These data demonstrate that MitoQ acutely improves FMD BA in NEX and EX adults who have a baseline FMD BA <6%. image Key points A key age‐related change contributing to increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk is vascular endothelial dysfunction due to increased mitochondrial‐derived reactive oxygen species (mtROS). Aerobic exercise preserves endothelial function via suppression of mtROS in preclinical models but the evidence in humans is limited. In the present study, a single dose of the mitochondria‐targeted antioxidant, mitoquinone mesylate (MitoQ), increases endothelial function in non‐exercisers with lower cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) but not in exercisers with higher CRF. The acute effects of MitoQ on endothelial function in middle‐aged and older adults (MA/O) are influenced by baseline endothelial function independent of CRF. These data provide initial evidence that the acute MitoQ‐enhancing effects on endothelial function in MA/O adults are influenced, in part, via CRF and baseline endothelial function.