Endothelium-dependent relaxations to acetylcholine remain normal in the carotid artery of hypercholesterolemic rabbits, but unlike endothelium-dependent relaxations of normal rabbits, they are inhibited by charybdotoxin, a specific blocker of Ca(2+)-dependent K+ channels. Because nitric oxide (NO) is the mediator of endothelium-dependent relaxation and can activate Ca(2+)-dependent K+ channels directly or via guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate, the present study investigated the role of Ca(2+)-dependent K+ channels in relaxations caused by NO, sodium nitroprusside, and 8-bromoguanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (8-Brc-GMP) in hypercholesterolemic rabbit carotid artery. Isometric tension was measured in rabbit carotid artery denuded of endothelium from normal and hypercholesterolemic rabbits which were fed 0.5% cholesterol for 12 wk. Under control conditions, relaxations to all agents were similar in normal and hypercholesterolemic rabbit arteries. Charybdotoxin had no significant effect on relaxations of normal arteries to NO, sodium nitroprusside, or 8-BrcGMP, but the Ca(2+)-dependent K+ channel blocker significantly inhibited the relaxations caused by each of these agents in the arteries from hypercholesterolemic rabbits. By contrast, relaxations to the calcium channel blocker nifedipine were potentiated to a similar extent by charybdotoxin in both groups. In addition, arteries from hypercholesterolemic rabbits relaxed less than normal to sodium nitroprusside when contracted with depolarizing potassium solution. These results indicate that although nitrovasodilator relaxations are normal in the hypercholesterolemic rabbit carotid artery, they are mediated differently, and to a greater extent, by Ca(2+)-dependent K+ channels. These data also suggest that K+ channel-independent mechanism(s) are impaired in hypercholesterolemia.
