Fig. 8.

Lysyl oxidase-like 2 (LOXL2) promotes vascular stiffening in aging. Aging results in endothelial dysfunction that in turn results in increased LOXL2 and soluble collagen in the vascular matrix. This leads to both increased matrix cross linking and vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) stiffness/tone. Together, these changes result in increased vascular stiffness. LOXL2 knockdown limits this process and prevents vascular stiffening with age, thus interrupting the onset of isolated systolic hypertension. NO, nitric oxide.