scholarly journals Nifedipine-sensitive vascular reactivity of femoral arteries in WKY: the effect of pertussis toxin pretreatment and endothelium removal

2007 ◽  
pp. 663-666
Author(s):  
S Líšková ◽  
J Kuneš ◽  
J Zicha

Maintenance of norepinephrine (NE)-induced contraction is dependent on Ca(2+) influx through L-type voltage-dependent Ca(2+) channels (VDCC), which is opposed by nitric oxide. Adrenergic receptors are coupled with different G proteins, including inhibitory G proteins (Gi) that can be inactivated by pertussis toxin (PTX). Our study was aimed to investigate the effects of endothelium removal, PTX pretreatment and acute VDCC blockade by nifedipine on the contractions of femoral arteries stimulated by norepinephrine. We used 12-week-old male WKY, half of the rats being injected with PTX (10 microg/kg i.v., 48 h before the experiment), which considerably reduced their blood pressure (BP). Contractions of isolated arteries were measured using Mulvany-Halpern myograph. NE dose-response curves determined in femoral arteries from PTX-treated WKY rats were shifted to the right compared to those from control WKY. On the contrary, removal of endothelium augmented NE dose-response curves shifting them to the left. Acute VDCC blockade by nifedipine (10(-7) M) abolished all differences in NE dose-response curves which were dependent on the presence of either intact endothelium or functional Gi proteins because all NE dose-response curves were identical to the curve seen in vessels with intact endothelium from PTX-treated animals. We can conclude that BP reduction after PTX injection is accompanied by the attenuation of NE-induced contraction of femoral arteries irrespective of endothelium presence. Moreover, our data indicate that both vasodilator action of endothelium and Gi-dependent vasoconstrictor effect of norepinephrine operate via the control of Ca(2+) influx through VDCC.

2007 ◽  
Vol 92 (1) ◽  
pp. 250-254 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raffaele Napoli ◽  
Vincenzo Guardasole ◽  
Valentina Angelini ◽  
Emanuela Zarra ◽  
Daniela Terracciano ◽  
...  

Abstract Context: Thyroid hormone regulates several cardiovascular functions, and low T3 levels are frequently associated with cardiovascular diseases. Whether T3 exerts any acute and direct effect on endothelial function in humans is unknown. Objective: Our objective was to clarify whether acute changes in serum T3 concentration affect endothelial function. Design, Setting, and Subjects: Ten healthy subjects (age, 24 ± 1 yr) participated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial at a university hospital. Interventions: T3 (or placebo) was infused for 7 h into the brachial artery to raise local T3 to levels observed in moderate hyperthyroidism. Vascular reactivity was tested by intraarterial infusion of vasoactive agents. Main Outcome Measures: We assessed changes in forearm blood flow (FBF) measured by plethysmography. Results: FBF response to the endothelium-dependent vasodilator acetylcholine was enhanced by T3 (P = 0.002 for the interaction between T3 and acetylcholine). The slopes of the dose-response curves were 0.41 ± 0.06 and 0.23 ± 0.04 ml/dl·min/μg in the T3 and placebo study, respectively (P = 0.03). T3 infusion had no effect on the FBF response to sodium nitroprusside. T3 potentiated the vasoconstrictor response to norepinephrine (P = 0.006 for the interaction). Also, the slopes of the dose-response curves were affected by T3 (1.95 ± 0.77 and 3.83 ± 0.35 ml/dl·min/mg in the placebo and T3 study, respectively; P < 0.05). The increase in basal FBF induced by T3 was inhibited by NG-monomethyl-l-arginine. Conclusions: T3 exerts direct and acute effects on the resistance vessels by enhancing endothelial function and norepinephrine-induced vasoconstriction. The data may help clarify the vascular impact of the low T3 syndrome and point to potential therapeutic strategies.


1999 ◽  
Vol 77 (12) ◽  
pp. 980-985 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-François Bouchard ◽  
Éric C Dumont ◽  
Daniel Lamontagne

Functional dilatory response in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats was investigated using thoracic aortas, isolated hearts, and mesenteric beds. Dose-response curves to the PGI2 analogue iloprost on phenylephrine-preconstricted rings of diabetic rats and controls were comparable. In contrast, decreased vasodilation in diabetic rats was observed when dose-response curves to iloprost were performed in hearts and on phenylephrine-preconstricted mesenteric beds. Dose-response curves to forskolin, an adenylyl cyclase activator, performed with hearts and phenylephrine-preconstricted aortic rings and isolated mesenteric beds of diabetic rats and controls were comparable. However, a decreased vasodilation to the ATP-sensitive potassium channel (KATP) activator lemakalim was observed in diabetic hearts, but not in aortic rings and mesenteric beds. In conclusion, under our experimental conditions, diabetes mellitus affects the vasodilation to iloprost in both coronary and mesenteric beds, but not in the aorta. In the heart, this modification of vascular reactivity may be due to a decrease in KATP channel mediated response and not to a decreased activity of adenylyl cyclase. At this time, in the isolated mesenteric bed, the mechanism of this modification in vascular reactivity remains unknown.Key words: diabetes mellitus, iloprost, KATP channels, adenylyl cyclase, aorta, coronary circulation, mesenteric bed.


1991 ◽  
Vol 69 (6) ◽  
pp. 805-811 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Tomioka ◽  
J. T. Jackowski ◽  
W. M. Abraham

We have investigated the effects of leukotrienes (LTs) on isolated tracheal smooth muscle from sheep sensitive to Ascaris suum antigen. LTC4 and LTD4 produced dose-dependent contractions of sheep trachea, but LTE4 was virtually inactive. YM-17690, a non-analogous LT agonist, produced no contractile response up to 100 μM. Indomethacin (5 μM) had no effect on LTC4- and LTD4-induced contractions. L-Serine borate (45 mM), an inhibitor of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, shifted the dose–response curve of LTC4 to the left by 161-fold, and L-cysteine (6 mM), an inhibitor of aminopeptidase, shifted the dose–response curves of LTC4 and LTD4 to the left by 67- and 23-fold, respectively. YM-16638 (1 μM), an LT antagonist, shifted the dose–response curves of LTC4 and LTD4 to the right with pKB values of 6.57 and 7.13, respectively. YM-16638 did not affect LTC4-induced contractions of L-serine borate-treated tissues, indicating that the compound acts only on LTD4 receptors in sheep trachea. LTE4 (1 μM) shifted the dose–response curves of LTC4 and LTD4 to the right with pKB values of 6.87 and 7.31, respectively. YM-17690 (10 μM) showed effects similar to LTE4, suggesting that the compound acts as an LTE4 agonist in sheep trachea. These results suggest that in sheep tracheal smooth muscle (a) LTC4 and LTD4 produce contractions, (b) these LT-induced contractions are not mediated by cyclooxygenase products, (c) LTC4 is converted to LTD4 and then to LTE4, and (d) the potency of the LTC4- and LTD4-induced contractions is increased when their conversion to LTE4 is inhibited. This potentiation may result from the inability of LTE4 to contract sheep trachea and (or) its antagonist actions.Key words: leukotriene antagonist, receptors, asthma.


1989 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 759-764 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Laher ◽  
P. Germann ◽  
A. L. Dowd ◽  
J. A. Bevan

A number of studies indicate that relative to the maximal tone possible, for example, to histamine, noradrenaline produces only weak contractile responses in the rabbit basilar artery. Various factors, including a limited number of α-adrenoceptors, have been proposed to account for the reduced response to noradrenaline. We examined the effect of the Ca2+ -channel activator, Bay K 8644 (0.1 and 1.0 n M) on dose-response curves to noradrenaline, histamine, calcium (Ca2+) and potassium (K+) in ring preparations of rabbit basilar artery and central ear artery. These concentrations of Bay K 8644 (0.1 and 1.0 n M) increased the magnitude of tension developed by noradrenaline (contractility) in the basilar artery, but did not alter its sensitivity (ED50) to the adrenergic vasoconstrictor. Bay K 8644 (0.1 and 1.0 n M) did not alter the contractility or sensitivity to histamine or K+ of the rabbit basilar artery. When dose–response curves to Ca2+ were made in K+-depolarized rabbit basilar artery rings, Bay K 8644 (0.1 and 1.0 n M) dose-dependently augmented tone generated by readmission of Ca2+. Bay K 8644 (0.1 and 1.0 n M) did not alter responses to noradrenaline, histamine, or K+ in rabbit central ear artery preparations. These results are compatible with a voltage-dependent mechanism of action of Bay K 8644 in the rabbit basilar artery, which may be partially depolarized in the resting state. We propose that in addition to other factors, the contractile response of rabbit basilar arteries is limited by a weak or inefficient coupling of α-adrenoceptors to Ca2+ channels. The effect of Bay K 8644 on cerebral vascular tone generated by noradrenaline is to improve coupling thus allowing a greater influx of extracellular Ca2+.


1975 ◽  
Vol 229 (6) ◽  
pp. 1635-1640 ◽  
Author(s):  
BT Altura ◽  
BM Altura

This study, with isolated rat aortic strips and portal veins, was undertaken to : 1) study the effects, if any, of pentobarbital Na (PTB) (5 x 10(-5) to 2 X 10(-3) M) on reactivity to epinephrine, serotonin, and KCl; 2) determine whether certain concentrations of PTB induce direct actions on aortic strips and portal veins; and 3) gain some insight into how these effects are brought about. The results indicate that PTB can: a) inhibit development of spontaneous mechanical activity in these vessels in anesthetic concentrations; b) dose-dependently attenuate contractions induced by epinephrine, serotonin, and KC1; c) cause a noncompetitive type displacement of the dose response curves of these vasoactive agents; d) attenuate Ca2+- induced contractions of potassium-depolarized aortic strips and portal veins concomitant with a dose-dependent displacement of these dose-response curves to the right; and e) rapidly relax drug as well as Ca2+ -induced contractions of aortas and portal veins. In addition, the data indicate that rat portal venous smooth muscle is more sensitive to the inhibitory actions of PTB than rat aortic smooth muscle. Overall, these data suggest that concentrations of PTB used to induce surgical anesthesia can exert profound depressant effects on at least two different types of vascular smooth muscle that may be related to actions on movement and/or translocation of Ca2+.


Hypertension ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 36 (suppl_1) ◽  
pp. 698-698
Author(s):  
John Quilley ◽  
Yue Qiu

P30 Endothelium-dependent vasorelaxant responses to acetylcholine (Ach) in rat aorta are mediated solely by NO. Rings precontracted with U46619 were used to investigate the role of endothelial K + channels. Thus, any effect of K + channel inhibitors on Ach responses in the absence of an effect on those to nitroprusside (NP) can be attributed to interference with Ach-induced stimulation of NO. Vasorelaxant responses to Ach (log EC 50 -7.29M) were abolished by removal of the endothelium or inhibition of NO synthesis with nitroarginine (100μM) which potentiated responses to NP (log EC 50 -9.41M vs -8.47M for control). In the presence of TEA (10mM) to inhibit K + channels, the dose-response curve for Ach, but not NP, was shifted to the right (log EC 50 -6.06). Elevation of extracellular K + (25mM KCl)also shifted the dose-response curve for Ach to the right. Inhibitors of specific types of K + channels: BaCl 2 (30μM), apamin (100nM), glibenclamide (10μM), charybdotoxin (50nM) and iberiotoxin (100nM) were without effect on dose-response curves to either Ach or NP. However, the combination of apamin (100nM) and charybdotoxin (50nM) but not apamin plus iberiotoxin, reduced relaxant responses to Ach (log EC 50 -6.95M) without affecting those to NP.These results confirm that Ach-induced relaxation of rat aorta is mediated entirely by endothelium-derived NO, the release of which apparently involves hyperpolarization of the endothelium. This effect is dependent on activation of a K + channel that is blocked by a combination of apamin/charybdotoxin but neither agent alone, possibly indicating characteristics of both Ca 2+ - activated and voltage-dependent K + channels.


1985 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 625-634 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. C. Hulbert ◽  
T. McLean ◽  
B. Wiggs ◽  
P. D. Pare ◽  
J. C. Hogg

Histamine dose-response curves were performed on anesthetized tracheostomized guinea pigs that were paralyzed and mechanically ventilated at a constant tidal volume and breathing frequency. The dose was calculated by generating an aerosol of known concentration and measuring the volume delivered to the lung. Increasing the dose was accomplished by increasing the number of breaths of aerosol delivered. The response to each dose was determined by measuring the change in airway resistance (RL) and dynamic compliance (Cdyn) using the method of Von Neergaard and Wirz (Z. Klin. Med. 105: 51–82, 1927). With increasing doses of histamine, RL increased and reached a plateau at approximately five times the base-line value and Cdyn fell to approximately 20% of its initial value. The variability in the base-line and maximum response as well as the calculated sensitivity and reactivity was less than that previously reported. Propranolol pretreatment increased resting RL and shifted the dose-response curve for RL to the left of the controls, increasing reactivity but not sensitivity. Atropine shifted the dose-response curve to the right of the control, decreasing sensitivity but without changing reactivity. The data for Cdyn showed that atropine pretreatment caused a higher resting value and propranolol pretreatment a lower value at the highest histamine dose but no differences in either sensitivity or reactivity.


1983 ◽  
Vol 55 (6) ◽  
pp. 1868-1876 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Cutaia ◽  
R. J. Porcelli

The present study investigated the effects of repetitive exposure to a select group of biogenic amines (epinephrine, norepinephrine, histamine, and serotonin) on pulmonary vascular reactivity by constructing and analyzing a set of four sequential cumulative dose-response curves to one biogenic amine in the isolated blood-perfused left lower lobe of the cat lung in vivo. The dose-response curves were obtained under conditions of constant flow, insuring that the observed pressure changes in the lobe were pressor responses resulting from vasoconstriction rather than flow-related changes. Histamine and epinephrine demonstrated a progressive loss of initial vasoconstrictor activity, whereas the responses to serotonin remained unchanged after repetitive exposure. Norepinephrine demonstrated two different patterns of response, depending on the dose range employed; norepinephrine (0.068-2.27 nmol/ml) demonstrated a loss of the original vasoconstrictor activity, in a pattern similar to histamine and epinephrine, while higher doses of norepinephrine (0.34-9.1 nmol/ml) demonstrated no change in activity with a left shift in the concentration at which the maximal responses occurred, suggesting an increase in sensitivity as a result of repeated exposure. These results were obtained in the absence of significant alterations of arterial blood gases, changes in base-line tone in the experimental left lower lobe, or the development of severe pulmonary edema. These data suggest that only the agents that are capable of stimulating antagonistic vasoconstrictor and vasodilator receptors demonstrated a loss of pulmonary vasoconstrictor activity, which may result from a functional shift in the balance of antagonistic receptor activity with continued exposure.


1983 ◽  
Vol 61 (6) ◽  
pp. 572-580 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth J. Broadley ◽  
John H. McNeill

Hypothermia increases the sensitivity of isolated cardiac muscle to stimulation by β-adrenoceptor agonists. The purpose of this study was to determine pharmacologically whether this supersensitivity is associated with a change in the affinity of agonists for the receptor. The positive inotropic and chronotropic responses of guinea-pig paced left and spontaneously beating right atria were recorded. Cumulative dose–response curves to noradrenaline (or adrenaline) were compared with isoproterenol in each tissue. At 38 °C, the rate curves were to the left of the tension curves, with lower mean effective concentration (EC50) values. However, this difference was less for noradrenaline and adrenaline which were therefore tension selective relative to isoproterenol. Lowering the temperature to 25 °C induced supersensitivity, all dose–response curves being displaced to the left. In the presence of carbachol the curves were shifted to the right with depression of the maxima. Dissociation constants (KA) were calculated from plots of reciprocals of equiactive concentrations obtained before and in the presence of carbachol. KA values for rate and tension responses of each agonist were identical at 38 °C, indicating that the rate selectivity was not due to affinity differences. The efficacies (er) of noradrenaline and adrenaline were greater than isoproterenol for tension, but smaller for rate responses, which may explain their relative tension selectivity. At 25 °C the KA values of all agonists were reduced approximately 10-fold. Hypothermia-induced supersensitivity is therefore associated with an increase in affinity for the cardiac β-adrenoceptor.


2007 ◽  
Vol 2 (7) ◽  
pp. 1934578X0700200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siddharth Pandey ◽  
Om Prakash ◽  
Anjum Zafar ◽  
Subrata K. Hore ◽  
Anil K. Pant ◽  
...  

Analysis of the essential oil from the rhizome of Alpinia calcarata Rosc. (ACREO) by a combination of GC and GC-MS revealed the presence of 1,8-cineole (42.2%), endo-fenchyl acetate (14.7%), camphene (7.6%), β-pinene (6.9%), α-terpineol (5.3%) and camphor (5.0%). Twenty-three compounds were identified in the oil. ACREO showed dose dependent myorelaxant activity in rat duodenum. The dose response curves of acetylcholine (ACh) and CaCl2 were shifted by ACREO to the right with increases in EC50 values and decreases in Vmax. These findings suggest that ACREO is a non-competitive antagonist of ACh and calcium.


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