Among components of oxidized low density lipoproteins, cholesterol derivatives oxidized in position 7 inhibit endothelium-dependent arterial relaxation by decreasing the release of the main endothelium-derived relaxing factor, nitric oxide (NO). The aim of the present study was to bring new insights into the molecular mechanism by which 7-ketocholesterol can block the endothelium-dependent arterial relaxation. Superoxide dismutase did not prevent the inhibitory effect of 7-ketocholesterol on endothelium-dependent relaxation, and consistent observations were made whether superoxide dismutase was conjugated or not to polyethylene glycol. In addition, neither glutathione supplementation, nor oxypurinol, i.e. a xanthine oxidase inhibitor could reverse the effect of 7-ketocholesterol, indicating that NO was not inactivated by superoxide anion. A direct alteration of the activity of the calcium-dependent NO synthase could also be ruled out, since identical relaxing effects of the calcium ionophore A23187 were observed whether arterial rings were treated or not with 7-ketocholesterol. 4 Whereas the above observations come in support of an early, inhibitory action of 7-ketocholesterol, the specific blockade of one given subtype of membrane receptors could be discarded, and similar inhibitions were observed when either muscarinic or purinergic receptors were stimulated. Finally, the blockade of protein kinase C activity by chelerythrine arose as the sole relevant tool in preventing the effect of 7-ketocholesterol on the endothelium-dependent relaxation of rabbit aortic rings. In addition, complementary studies on cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells came in direct support of the ability of 7-ketocholesterol to activate PKC. In conclusion, 7-ketocholesterol that is present in human hypercholesterolaemic plasma, in atherosclerotic arteries, and in many processed foods can block the release of NO by vascular endothelial cells through its ability to activate PKC.