Furthermore, oxidative stress-induced damage of the vascular endothelium is one of the most important factors of cardiovascular diseases (5–7). For example, oxidative stress in endothelial cells induces acute and chronic phases of leukocyte adhesion to the endothelium (8,9). In addition, the interaction between ROS and nitric oxide sets off a vicious circle which results in further endothelial activation and inflammation (5). Moreover, ROS, such as H2O2 can diffuse throughout endothelial cells and react with cysteine groups in proteins to modify their function (10). Thus, under conditions of oxidative stress, endothelial cells can lose integrity, progress to senescence and detach into the circulatio