Why is a new journal dedicated to vascular biology required?

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paolo Madeddu

The year 2018 marked the 110th anniversary of Goldmann’s discovery that vascularization is an active process in tissues1 and the 50th anniversary of the concomitant reports from Greenblatt and Shubik2 and Ehrmann and Knoth3 that soluble morphogenic factors are required for cancer angiogenesis. Many other radically transformative paradigms have been introduced in the last decades. To name a few, the molecular search for the identity of master regulators of vascular tone led to the discovery of the Endothelium-Derived Relaxing Factor (EDRF; i.e., NO4), while clinically inspired investigations led to the recognition of the pathophysiological relevance of neoangiogenesis in cancer and tissue healing. This brought about the proposal of blocking angiogenesis to halt tumor growth and stimulating angiogenesis to treat myocardial ischemia and heart failure5-7.

1993 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 304-309 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masakazu Takayasu ◽  
Yasukazu Kajita ◽  
Yoshio Suzuki ◽  
Masato Shibuya ◽  
Kenichiro Sugita ◽  
...  

To determine how vasopressin affects the vascular tone of the smaller cerebral arterioles, we carried out an in vitro study of isolated and cannulated intracerebral arterioles of rats. We found that increasing concentrations of vasopressin induced a triphasic response of vasodilation (10−12–10−11 M), vasoconstriction (10−10–10−8 M), and vasodilation stabilizing to control diameter (10−7–10−6 M) and that the maximum constriction was twice the maximum dilation in these smaller arterioles [21.2 ± 13.1% (mean ± SD) decrease in diameter vs. 11.2 ± 5.7% increase]. Pretreatment of the arterioles with NG-monomethyl-l-arginine (10−4 M), a specific inhibitor of endothelium-derived relaxing factor, abolished the vasopressin-induced vasodilation and significantly increased the vasoconstriction. These results suggest that these arterioles were maintained in a dilated state by an endothelium-derived relaxing factor activated by vasopressin. Both vasodilation and vasoconstriction were found to be mediated through vasopressin V1 receptors in a study of arterioles pretreated with d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)arginine vasopressin (10−6 M), a vasopressin V1 receptor antagonist. These results support the hypothesis that vasopressin may constrict smaller cerebral arterioles while simultaneously dilating larger cerebral arteries. Our results also suggest that vasopressin may aggravate cerebral ischemia in pathological conditions, such as subarachnoid hemorrhage, when the arteriolar response to vasopressin shifts from vasodilation to vasoconstriction due to increased vasopressin levels in plasma and CSF and impaired endothelium-derived relaxation.


1993 ◽  
Vol 264 (1) ◽  
pp. H252-H258 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. A. Braner ◽  
J. R. Fineman ◽  
R. Chang ◽  
S. J. Soifer

To investigate the hypothesis that pulmonary vascular tone and endothelium-dependent pulmonary vasodilation are mediated by changes in the vascular smooth muscle cell concentration of cGMP, we studied the hemodynamic effects of M&B 22948, a selective guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) phosphodiesterase inhibitor, in eight intact newborn lambs. At rest, M&B 22948 (1.0-2.5 mg/kg) selectively decreased pulmonary arterial pressure (by 8.5 +/- 6.6 to 10.3 +/- 4.5%, P < 0.05). Similarly, M&B 22948 (0.5-5.0 mg/kg) produced selective dose-dependent decreases in pulmonary arterial pressure during pulmonary hypertension induced either by U46619 (by 7.7 +/- 4.2 to 44.2 +/- 4.4%, P < 0.05) or by alveolar hypoxia (by 9.5 +/- 6.2 to 29.0 +/- 11.0%, P < 0.05). In addition, M&B 22948 augmented the pulmonary vasodilating effects of acetylcholine and ATP (both endothelium- and cGMP-dependent vasodilators) but not isoproterenol (an endothelium-independent and cAMP-dependent vasodilator). Because M&B 22948 inhibits the breakdown of cGMP, this study supports the in vitro data that changes in the vascular smooth muscle cell concentration of cGMP, in part, may regulate pulmonary vascular tone and mediate endothelium-dependent vasodilator responses in the pulmonary circulation. In addition, N omega-nitro-L-arginine (an inhibitor of endothelium-derived relaxing factor synthesis) blocked the vasodilating effects of M&B 22948, suggesting that the majority of endogenous cGMP is generated by the release of endothelium-derived relaxing factor.


1993 ◽  
Vol 264 (4) ◽  
pp. H1139-H1145 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. P. Thompson ◽  
C. P. Weiner

As in the adult circulation, the endothelium may play an important role in determining fetal vascular tone. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of the endothelium on norepinephrine- and phenylephrine-induced contraction of pulmonary and carotid arteries from near-term fetal guinea pigs. Isometric contractions of isolated rings to the cumulative addition of norepinephrine (10(-9)-10(-5) M) were measured before and after 1) endothelium removal, 2) NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA; 10(-4) M) to inhibit endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF), 3) methylene blue (10(-5) M) to inhibit guanylate cyclase, 4) oxyhemoglobin (3 x 10(-6) M) to bind EDRF, and 5) indomethacin (10(-5) M) to inhibit cyclooxygenase. All treatment effects were measured in endothelium-intact segments. The maximal norepinephrine contraction of fetal pulmonary (40 +/- 8% KCl, n = 7) and carotid (13 +/- 7% KCl, n = 7) arteries was much less (P < 0.05) than the maximal contraction to 120 mM KCl. Treatments that inhibit the action of EDRF increased contraction of both fetal pulmonary and carotid arteries. L-NMMA also increased contraction to phenylephrine. Indomethacin had no effect on the contractile responses to norepinephrine of either artery. Thus EDRF inhibits alpha-adrenoceptor-stimulated contraction of fetal pulmonary and carotid arteries and may attenuate the constrictor responsiveness of the fetal circulation in vivo.


1993 ◽  
Vol 3 (8) ◽  
pp. 1435-1441
Author(s):  
L Raij ◽  
P J Shultz

The endothelium-derived relaxing factor nitric oxide (EDRF/NO) is a labile, endogenous vasodilator that is important in the control of systemic vascular tone. This review focuses on the effects of EDRF/NO on glomerular mesangial cells in vitro and on the role of EDRF/NO in mesangial and glomerular physiology and pathophysiology in vivo. It was concluded that EDRF/NO can stimulate increases in cGMP, inhibit mesangial cell contraction, and inhibit growth factor-induced proliferation of mesangial cells in culture. Furthermore, incubation with endotoxin or cytokines stimulates mesangial cells to produce EDRF/NO, via an inducible NO synthase enzyme. Therefore, it is likely that NO could play a role in the inflammatory response within the glomerulus. Finally, recent studies providing evidence that EDRF/NO is functional within the glomerulus in vivo, especially during endotoxemia and inflammation are also reviewed.


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