Advanced age is related to functional alterations of human vasculature, but erectile dysfunction precedes systemic manifestations of vascular disease. The current study aimed to simultaneously evaluate the influence of aging on vascular function (relaxation and contraction responses) in systemic human vascular territories: aorta (HA) and resistance mesenteric arteries (HMA) and human corpus cavernosum (HCC) and penile resistance arteries (HPRA). Associations of oxidative stress and inflammation circulating biomarkers with age and functional responses were also determined. Vascular specimens were obtained from 76 organ donors (age range 18–87). Four age-groups were established: < 40, 40–55, 56–65 and > 65 years old. Increasing age was associated with a decline in endothelium-dependent relaxation induced by BK in HMA (r = -0.597, p = 0.0001), or by ACh in HCC (r = -0.505, p = 0.0022), and HPRA (r = -0.601, p = 0.0012). Significant impairment was detected at > 65 years old in HMA but earlier in penile vasculature (> 55 years old). Age-related reduction to H₂O₂-vasodilatory response started before in HCC (56–65 years old) than in HA (> 65 years old). In contrast to relaxation responses, aging-related hypercontractility to adrenergic stimulation was homogeneous: contractions significantly increased in subjects > 55 years old in all tested vessels. Although not significantly age related, circulating levels of ADMA (r = -0.681, p = 0.0052) and TNF-α (r = -0.537, p = 0.0385) were negatively correlated with endothelial vasodilation in HMA but not in HCC or HPRA. Penile vasculature exhibits an early impairment of endothelium-dependent and H₂O₂-induced vasodilations when compared to mesenteric microcirculation and aorta. Therefore, functional susceptibility of penile vasculature to the aging process may account for anticipation of erectile dysfunction to systemic manifestations of vascular disease.

高龄与人体脉管系统的功能改变有关，但勃起功能障碍先于血管疾病的全身表现。目前的研究旨在同时评估衰老对人体全身血管区域的血管功能（松弛和收缩反应）的影响：主动脉（HA）和肠系膜动脉（HMA）以及人类海绵体（HCC）和阴茎阻力动脉（HPRA） ）。还确定了氧化应激和炎症循环生物标志物与年龄和功能反应的关联。血管标本取自 76 名器官捐献者（年龄范围 18-87 岁）。设立了四个年龄组：< 40 岁、40-55 岁、56-65 岁和> 65 岁。年龄增长与 HMA 中 BK 诱导的内皮依赖性舒张下降相关 (r = -0.597, p = 0.0001)，或 HCC 中 ACh (r = -0.505, p = 0.0022) 和 HPRA (r = - 0.601，p = 0.0012）。HMA 在> 65 岁时检测到显着损伤，但在阴茎血管系统中检测到更早（> 55 岁）。年龄相关的 H ₂ O ₂血管舒张反应减少在 HCC（56-65 岁）中比在 HA（> 65 岁）中更早开始。与松弛反应相反，与衰老相关的肾上腺素能刺激的过度收缩是均匀的：所有测试血管中> 55岁的受试者的收缩显着增加。尽管与年龄没有显着相关，但 ADMA (r = -0.681，p = 0.0052) 和 TNF-α (r = -0.537，p = 0.0385) 的循环水平与 HMA 中的内皮血管舒张呈负相关，但在 HCC 或 HPRA 中则不然。与肠系膜微循环和主动脉相比，阴茎血管系统表现出内皮依赖性和 H ₂ O _{2诱导的血管舒张的早期损伤。}因此，阴茎血管系统对衰老过程的功能敏感性可能是勃起功能障碍对血管疾病全身表现的预期的原因。