Endothelium-dependent contraction to stretch in canine basilar arteries

1987 ◽  
Vol 252 (3) ◽  
pp. H671-H673 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z. S. Katusic ◽  
J. T. Shepherd ◽  
P. M. Vanhoutte

Stretch applied to isolated canine basilar arteries caused the development of active tension in rings with endothelium but not in those in which the endothelium had been removed. Blockade of calcium entry with diltiazem or inhibition of cyclooxygenase with indomethacin abolished the endothelium-dependent response to stretch. These observations suggest that the endothelium may contribute to the autoregulation of cerebral blood flow during increases in transmural pressure by the increased production and/or release of prostaglandins, which causes activation of the underlying vascular smooth muscle.

Perfusion ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 363-370 ◽  
Author(s):  
Faith Pallas ◽  
Douglas F Larson

Diabetes is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Coronary revascularization utilizing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is frequently required for the diabetic patient. Nondiabetic individuals can autoregulate cerebral blood flow (CBF) through metabolic and perfusion pressure mechanisms during CPB. However, it has been reported that diabetic patients have impaired CBF autoregulation during CPB. It is possible, therefore, that impaired CBF autoregulation may contribute to postoperative neuropsychologic dysfunction. The mechanisms for this defect may reside in impaired endothelial-dependent responses in the diabetic that are related to morphological and functional changes linking the vascular endothelium and the vascular smooth muscle. The morphological changes occurring in the diabetic include microangiopathy and macroangiopathy which are characterized by endothelial cell (EC) hyperplasia and basement membrane thickening. Also, significant functional changes in local control of vascular tone, such as an imbalance in the synthesis and secretion of vasoactive factors by the EC and abnormal reactivity of the vascular smooth muscle, are seen in the diabetic when compared to the nondiabetic. More specifically, vascular responses to both calcium-dependent pathways of vasoconstriction and nitric oxide pathways of vasorelaxation have been shown to significantly differ between the diabetic and nondiabetic. The emphasis of this discussion is to examine the molecular mechanisms by which diabetes alters vascular function, with emphasis placed on regulation of cerebral artery blood flow during CPB.


2001 ◽  
Vol 90 (2) ◽  
pp. 665-669 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Brieva ◽  
Adam Wanner

The purpose of the present study was to determine the responsiveness of airway vascular smooth muscle (AVSM) as assessed by airway mucosal blood flow (Q˙aw) to inhaled methoxamine (α1-agonist; 0.6–2.3 mg) and albuterol (β2-agonist; 0.2–1.2 mg) in healthy [ n = 11; forced expiratory volume in 1 s, 92 ± 4 (SE) % of predicted] and asthmatic ( n = 11, mean forced expiratory volume in 1 s, 81 ± 5%) adults. Mean baseline values for Q˙aw were 43.8 ± 0.7 and 54.3 ± 0.8 μl · min−1· ml−1of anatomic dead space in healthy and asthmatic subjects, respectively ( P < 0.05). After methoxamine inhalation, the maximal mean change in Q˙aw was −13.5 ± 1.0 μl · min−1· ml−1in asthmatic and −7.1 ± 2.1 μl · min−1· ml−1in healthy subjects ( P < 0.05). After albuterol, the mean maximal change in Q˙aw was 3.0 ± 0.8 μl · min−1· ml−1in asthmatic and 14.0 ± 1.1 μl · min−1· ml−1in healthy subjects ( P < 0.05). These results demonstrate that the contractile response of AVSM to α1-adrenoceptor activation is enhanced and the dilator response of AVSM to β2-adrenoceptor activation is blunted in asthmatic subjects.


2008 ◽  
Vol 20 (9) ◽  
pp. 21
Author(s):  
L. A. Vodstrcil ◽  
J. Novak ◽  
M. Tare ◽  
M. E. Wlodek ◽  
L. J. Parry

During pregnancy, the uteroplacental circulation undergoes dramatic alterations to allow for the large increase in blood flow to the feto-placental unit. These alterations are achieved through several mechanisms including structural changes in the uterine artery wall and endothelium-dependent vasodilation. Small renal arteries of relaxin-deficient mice and rats have enhanced myogenic reactivity and decreased passive compliance, and are relatively vasoconstricted (Novak et al. 2001, 2006). To date, no study has identified relaxin receptors (Rxfp1) in arteries or investigated the effects of relaxin deficiency in pregnancy on uterine artery function. The aims of this current study were to: 1) localise Rxfp1 in the uterine arteries, 2) measure myogenic reactivity in small uterine arteries after relaxin treatment, and 3) test the hypothesis that blocking circulating relaxin in late pregnancy will increase uterine artery wall stiffness. We demonstrated that Rxfp1 is expressed in the uterine arteries of pregnant mice and rats. Brightfield immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence using antibodies specific for rat Rxfp1, α-smooth muscle actin and CD31 localised Rxfp1 protein predominantly to the vascular smooth muscle in the uterine artery of pregnant rats. Administration of recombinant human H2 relaxin (4 ug/h) for 6 h or 5 days in intact and ovariectomised rats reduced myogenic reactivity of small uterine arteries in vitro. Pregnant rats were treated with a monoclonal antibody against circulating relaxin (MCA1) or control (MCAF) for 3 days (Days 17–19) and uterine arteries were mounted on a pressure myograph to assess passive mechanical wall properties. Neutralising circulating relaxin in late pregnancy resulted in a significant increase in uterine artery wall stiffness. These data demonstrate that relaxin acts on the vascular smooth muscle cells in the uterine artery and may be involved in the pregnancy-specific vascular remodelling of uterine arteries to increase vasodilation and blood flow to the uterus and placenta. (1) Novak J et al. (2001). J Clin Invest 107: 1469–75 (2) Novak J et al. (2006). FASEB J 20: 2352–62


2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (9-10) ◽  
pp. 1161-1172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhaosi Zhang ◽  
Guosheng Zhao ◽  
Liu Liu ◽  
Junchi He ◽  
Rami Darwazeh ◽  
...  

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) play an important role after a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The changes in VSMCs following bexarotene treatment after SAH are unknown. In the present study, neurological impairment, decreased cerebral cortical blood flow and transformation of cerebral VSMCs from a contractile to a synthetic phenotype were observed after SAH. Bexarotene reduced neurological impairment, improved cerebral cortical blood flow, inhibited VSMC phenotypic transformation and suppressed the expression of 5-lipoxygenase-activating protein (FLAP) and leukotriene B4 (LTB4), which was partly reversed by GW9662, an inhibitor of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ). Mechanistically, sh-PPARγ-mediated phenotypic transformation of VSMCs was partially suppressed by MK886, an antagonist of FLAP. Therefore, we conclude that bexarotene reduced neurological impairment, improved cerebral cortical blood flow and inhibited the VSMC phenotypic transformation after SAH, which was achieved by activating PPARγ-mediated inhibition of FLAP/LTB4 in VSMCs


2011 ◽  
Vol 300 (4) ◽  
pp. C919-C926 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristen Park Hopson ◽  
Jessica Truelove ◽  
Jerold Chun ◽  
Yumei Wang ◽  
Christian Waeber

Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) has been shown to modulate intracellular Ca2+ through both G protein-coupled receptors and intracellular second messenger pathways. The precise mechanism by which S1P activates store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) has not been fully characterized. Because sphingolipids and Ca2+ modulate proliferation and constriction in VSMCs, characterizing the connection between S1P and SOCE may provide novel therapeutic targets for vascular diseases. We found that S1P triggered STIM1 puncta formation and SOCE in VSMCs. S1P-activated SOCE was inhibited by 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate (2-APB), diethylstilbestrol (DES), and gadolinium (Gd3+). SOCE was observed in VSMCs lacking either S1P2 or S1P3 receptors, suggesting that S1P acts via multiple signaling pathways. Indeed, both extracellular and intracellular S1P application increased the total internal reflection fluorescence signal in VSMCs cells transfected with STIM1-yellow fluorescent protein in a 2-APB-sensitive manner. These data, and the fact that 2-APB, DES, and Gd3+ all inhibited S1P-induced cerebral artery constriction, suggest that SOCE modulates S1P-induced vasoconstriction in vivo. Finally, S1P-induced SOCE was larger in proliferative than in contractile VSMCs, correlating with increases in STIM1, Orai1, S1P1, and S1P3 receptor mRNA. These data demonstrate that S1P can act through both receptors and a novel intracellular pathway to activate SOCE. Because S1P-induced SOCE contributes to vessel constriction and is increased in proliferative VSMCs, it is likely that S1P/SOCE signaling in proliferative VSMCs may play a role in vascular dysfunction such as atherosclerosis and diabetes.


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