Both endogenous and exogenous estrogen decrease pulmonary artery (PA) vasoconstriction. Whether these effects are mediated via estrogen receptor (ER)-α or ER-β, and whether the contribution of ERs is stimulus-dependent, remains unknown. We hypothesized that administration of the selective ER-α agonist propylpyrazole triol (PPT) and/or the selective ER-β agonist diarylpropiolnitrile (DPN) rapidly decreases PA vasoconstriction induced by pharmacologic and hypoxic stimuli via a nitric oxide (NO)-dependent mechanism. PA rings ( n = 3–10/group) from adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were suspended in physiologic organ baths. Force displacement was measured. Vasoconstrictor responses to phenylephrine (10−8M − 10−5M) and hypoxia (Po2 35–45 mmHg) were determined. Endothelium-dependent and -independent vasorelaxation were measured by generating dose-response curves to acetylcholine (10−8M − 10−4M) and sodium nitroprusside (10−9M − 10−5M). PPT or DPN (10−9M − 5 × 10−5M) were added to the organ bath in the presence and absence of the NO-synthase inhibitor Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME) (10−4M). Selective ER-α activation (PPT, 5 × 10−5M) rapidly (<20 min) decreased phenylephrine-induced vasoconstriction. This effect, as well as PPT's effects on endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation, were neutralized by l-NAME. In contrast, selective ER-β activation (DPN, 5 × 10−5M) rapidly decreased phase II of hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV). l-NAME eliminated this phenomenon. Lower PPT or DPN concentrations were less effective. We conclude that both ER-α and ER-β decrease PA vasoconstriction. The immediate onset of effect suggests a nongenomic mechanism. The contribution of specific ERs appears to be stimulus specific, with ER-α primarily modulating phenylephrine-induced vasoconstriction, and ER-β inhibiting HPV. NO inhibition eliminates these effects, suggesting a central role for NO in mediating the pulmonary vascular effects of both ER-α and ER-β.
Selective estrogen receptor-α and estrogen receptor-β agonists rapidly decrease pulmonary artery vasoconstriction by a nitric oxide-dependent mechanism
