) is a circulating pro-inflammatory and pro-oxidative protein, but its role in regulating cerebral endothelial function remains unknown. We hypothesized that in mice knockdown (KD) of angptl2, cerebral endothelial function would be protected against ANG II-induced damage. Subcutaneous infusion of ANG II (200 ng·kg Ϫ1 ·min Ϫ1 , n ϭ 15) or saline (n ϭ 15) was performed in 20-wk-old angptl2 KD mice and wild-type (WT) littermates for 14 days. In saline-treated KD and WT mice, the amplitude and the sensitivity of ACh-induced dilations of isolated cerebral arteries were similar. However, while endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase (eNOS)-derived O 2 Ϫ /H2O2 contributed to dilation in WT mice, eNOS-derived NO (P Ͻ 0.05) was involved in KD mice. ANG II induced cerebral endothelial dysfunction only in WT mice (P Ͻ 0.05), which was reversed (P Ͻ 0.05) by either N-acetyl-L-cysteine, apocynin, gp91ds-tat, or indomethacin, suggesting the contribution of reactive oxygen species from Nox2 and Cox-derived contractile factors. In KD mice treated with ANG II, endothelial function was preserved, likely via Nox-derived H 2O2, sensitive to apocynin and PEG-catalase (P Ͻ 0.05), but not to gp91ds-tat. In the aorta, relaxation similarly and essentially depended on NO; endothelial function was maintained after ANG II infusion in all groups, but apocynin significantly reduced aortic relaxation in KD mice (P Ͻ 0.05). Protein expression levels of Nox1/2 in cerebral arteries were similar among all groups, but that of Nox4 was greater (P Ͻ 0.05) in saline-treated KD mice. In conclusion, knockdown of angptl2 may be protective against ANG II-induced cerebral endothelial dysfunction; it favors the production of NO, likely increasing endothelial cell resistance to stress, and permits the expression of an alternative vasodilatory Nox pathway.angiopoietin like-2; endothelium; cerebral arteries; nitric oxide; NA-DPH oxidases CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES, INCLUDING stroke, affect more than 50% of the world population today and remain an unresolved clinical issue. Inflammation and oxidative stress synergize to promote endothelial damage, thereby chronically driving atherogenesis (13,14). Importantly, the cerebral vascular endothelium is highly sensitive to this deleterious environment (8, 11). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are signaling molecules generated by the electron transport chain (35) and are by-products of enzymes including the NADPH oxidases (18), xanthine oxidases, and uncoupled endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase (eNOS) (19,28). In parallel, they trigger an innate anti-oxidative system to prevent their potential harmful effects (26,29). When this system is overwhelmed, however, endothelial damages occur and dysfunction develops, which are the first steps toward atherogenesis.Recently, a protein identified as angiopoietin like-protein 2 (angptl2), a member of the greater angiopoietin-like family and derived from various cell types including adipocytes (31) and endothelial cells (12), has been implicated in a number of chronic inflammatory d...