Jorge H. Capdevila

Jorge H. Capdevila (born October 6, 1940) is a Chilean-American biochemist and professor emeritus of medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical School. Recognized for his contributions to the molecular understanding of hypertension, Capdevila was elected a fellow of the American Heart Association (AHA) in 2002 and received the AHA's 2004 Novartis Excellence Award for Hypertension Research.

His research identified the roles of cytochrome P450 (P450) enzymes in the metabolism of arachidonic acid (AA), as well as the physiological and pathophysiological significance of these enzymes and their metabolites. These discoveries were honored in a dedicated special section at the 14th International Winter Eicosanoid Conference (2012).

In 2017, Capdevila was awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award by the Eicosanoid Research Foundation during the 15th International Conference on Bioactive Lipids in Cancer, Inflammation, and Related Diseases.

Personal life Capdevila was born in Santiago, Chile.

Career Capdevila earned a degree in biochemistry from the University of Chile in 1969. He later completed his Ph.D. at the University of Georgia in 1975. and 19- and 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids (19- and 20-HETE) as products of the epoxygenase and ω-hydroxylase branches of P450 AA monooxygenase, respectively. Characterization of EETs as endogenous metabolites of AA in rodent and human organs, establishing the AA epoxygenase pathway as a physiologically relevant system. Soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH; epoxide hydrolase 2) as the enzyme responsible for catalyzing EET hydration to vicinal dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acids (DHETs), a step preceding their urinary excretion.

, research focuses on developing sEH inhibitors to modulate organ-specific levels of EETs and their associated biological effects.

Functional roles of AA epoxygenase metabolites

Early studies by Capdevila and collaborators demonstrated that epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs): Stimulated the release of hormones in the brain, pituitary gland, and pancreas; Inhibited renal Na⁺ and K⁺ transport in isolated collecting ducts; Exhibited vasodilatory effects in vascular tissues.

These findings represented the first identification of EET-associated biological activities in vitro and laid the groundwork for subsequent research into the physiological and pathophysiological roles of the arachidonic acid (AA) epoxygenase pathway and its metabolites.

Physiological and Pathophysiological Roles of the Arachidonic Acid Monooxygenase Pathway

In summary, Capdevila and his collaborators contributed to the initial discovery and characterization of the roles of CYP450 monooxygenases in the metabolism and bioactivation of endogenous arachidonic acid, the identification of its role in the in vivo regulation of cellular, organ, and systemic physiology, and to its current recognition as an important physiological and pathophysiological metabolic pathway.