Description: Recent evidence suggests that oxidative mechanisms may be involved in vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) hypertrophy. We previously showed that angiotensin II (Ang II) increases superoxide production by activating an NADH/NADPH oxidase, which contributes to hypertrophy. These data indicate that AT1 receptor�mediated production of superoxide generated by the NADH/NADPH oxidase is followed by an increase in intracellular H2O2, suggesting a specific role for these oxygen species and scavenging systems in modifying the intracellular redox state in vascular growth.