The purpose of this study was to investigate the vasorelaxing effect and mechanism of idoxifene (a new estrogen receptor modulator) on human internal mammary artery (HIMA). HIMA segments were harvested from men during coronary artery bypass grafting surgery. Patients with diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, or smoking habit were excluded. The vasorelaxing effect of idoxifene on artery rings from HIMA with and without endothelium was measured by means of perfusion in vitro. Cumulative dose-response to idoxifene in the range of 0.01-10 micromol/L was observed in the presence and absence of NO synthase inhibitor L-NAME. It was also studied whether the vasodilation effect of idoxifene on HIMA was blocked by methylene blue (MB), an inhibitor of guanylate cyclase (GC). The results obtained from idoxifene were compared with those from 17beta-estradiol (E(2)). It was found that idoxifene caused a concentration-dependent relaxation on HIMA. The dose range was from 0.03 micromol/L (minimal vasodilatory concentration) to 3 mmol/L (maximal vasodilatory concentration). It was also found that the vasorelaxation effect of idoxifene on HIMA was dependent on endothelium. E(2) (0.1-100 micromol/L) also resulted in an endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation, but the vessels were 15-fold less sensitive to E(2) than to idoxifene in their vasorelaxation responses. The EC(50) for E(2) was 4.65+/-0.34 micromol/L, compared with 0.32+/-0.02 micromol/L for idoxifene. The mean maximal vasodilatory value of E(2) was 88.3+/-5.7%, compared with 88.6+/-7.2% for idoxifene. Pretreatment with L-NAME (100micromol/L) abolished idoxifene-induced vasodilation virtually by blocking nitric oxide production. The vasorelaxing effect of idoxifene disappeared in the presence of MB (10 micromol/L). These findings demonstrate that idoxifene results in an endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation of HIMA, like estrogen. The effect of idoxifene is more potent than that of traditional estrogen, and is possibly mediated by NO-GC-cGMP pathway.
Estrogen Antagonists ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Mammary Arteries ; drug effects ; physiology ; Tamoxifen ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Vasodilation ; drug effects

AIMTo compare the differences of pharmacological characteristics of the endothelial target for acetylcholine (ETA) between rat aorta and tail artery.

METHODSDifferences in the endothelium-dependent relaxation induced by acetylcholine (ACh: 10(-8) - 10(-4) mol/L) were studied using isolated rat tail artery helical strips and aortic rings, so that the pharmacological characteristics of ETA in small artery can be observed.

RESULTSACh-induced endothelium-dependent relaxation was observed both in rat tail artery strips and in aortic rings precontracted with potassium chloride (60 mmol/L) in a concentration-dependent manner. In tail artery this effect was partially blocked by L-N(omega)-Nitro-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME: 10(-4) mol/L) or methylene blue (MB: 10(-5) mol/L), together with indomethacin (Indo: 10(-4) mol/L), but in aorta it was completely blocked by L-NAME or MB.

CONCLUSIONIt is different of the pharmacological characteristics of ETA between big artery and small artery. A non-NO and non-PGI2 relaxing factor, together with nitric oxide (NO) and prostacyclin (PGI2), mediates endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation induced by ACh in small artery, but NO may be the principal endothelial vasodilator substance in big artery.

Acetylcholine ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Aorta ; drug effects ; Arteries ; drug effects ; Endothelium, Vascular ; drug effects ; physiology ; In Vitro Techniques ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Vasodilation ; drug effects

Animals ; Arteries ; drug effects ; physiology ; Blood Pressure ; drug effects ; Epimedium ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; Rats, Wistar

It has been reported that a change in the cellular redox state may be involved in the regulation of vascular tone, but the underlying mechanism is not fully understood. The present study was designed to investigate the cellular effect of sulfhydryl modifying agents in the coronary artery of rabbit using the tension measurement and whole cell clamping method. The application of diamide, a sulfhydryl oxidizing agent, relaxed the endothelium denuded coronary arteries in a dose dependent manner. The fact that this diamide-induced relaxation was significantly attenuated by a pretreatment of 4-AP, and the coronary arteries precontracted with 100 mM K+ instead of histamine, suggests the involvement of 4-AP sensitive K+ channels in the diamide-induced relaxation of coronary arteries. Whole cell patch clamp studies revealed that the 4-AP sensitive IdK was significantly enhanced by the membrane permeant oxidizing agents, diamide and DTDP, and were reversed by subsequent exposure to the reducing agent, DTT. Neither the membrane impermeant oxidizing or reducing agents, GSSG or GSH, had any effect on the activity of IdK, indicating that intracellular sulfhydryl modification is critical for modulating IdK activity. The Diamide failed to significantly alter the voltage dependence of the activation and inactivation parameters, and did not change the inactivation process, suggesting that diamide increases the number of functional channels without altering their gating properties. Since IdK has been believed to play an important role in regulating membrane potential and arterial tone, our results about the effect of sulfhydryl modifying agents on coronary arterial tone and IdK activity should help understand the pathophysiology of the diseases, where oxidative damage has been implicated.
Animal ; Arteries/physiology ; Arteries/drug effects ; Arteries/cytology ; Coronary Vessels/physiology ; Coronary Vessels/drug effects* ; Coronary Vessels/cytology ; Female ; Male ; Oxidants/pharmacology* ; Potassium Channels/physiology ; Rabbits ; Reducing Agents/pharmacology* ; Sulfhydryl Compounds/metabolism*

AIMTo study the vasorelaxation action of oxyphenamone (Oxy) and its mechanism.

METHODSThe contractile response of isolated rabbit renal, femoral and mesentery artery preparations was determined.

RESULTSOxy was shown to inhibit the contractile force of renal, femoral and mesentery arteries induced by phenylephrine in a concentration dependent manner. The vasorelaxation produced by Oxy was not attenuated by removal of the endothelium. Oxy (10(-6)-10(-4) mol.L-1) relaxed the contractions induced by KCl 30 mmol.L-1 as well as KCl 80 mmol.L-1, but the contraction curve of KCl 80 mmol.L-1 was shifted significantly to the right. Oxy in lower concentration (10(-6) and 5 x 10(-6) mol.L-1) increased the contractions induced by Ang II, and in middle concentration (10(-5) mol.L-1) it did not affect the contractions induced by Ang II. Whereas in higher concentration (5 x 10(-5) mol.L-1) it obviously inhibited the contractions induced by Ang II.

CONCLUSIONOxy showed significant vasorelaxation to various vascular preparations, and its vasorelaxation action is endothelium independent. The mechanism of its vasorelaxations seems to be related with Ca2+ activated K+ channel (Kca channel) and Ca2+ channel in vascular smooth muscle cells but its true mechanism needs further study.

Animals ; Cardiotonic Agents ; pharmacology ; Female ; Femoral Artery ; drug effects ; physiology ; In Vitro Techniques ; Male ; Mesenteric Arteries ; drug effects ; physiology ; Organic Chemicals ; Phenylephrine ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Potassium Channels, Calcium-Activated ; metabolism ; Rabbits ; Renal Artery ; drug effects ; physiology ; Vasodilation ; drug effects ; Vasodilator Agents ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the applicability of carotid Doppler echography for the assessment of changes of peripheral hemodynamics in the hypertensives. SUBJECTS: 28 hypertensives (17 males, 11 females), mean age of 64 yrs and 40 normal controls (24 males, 16 females) mean age of 49 yrs. METHODS: We recorded the right common carotid arterial Doppler flow velocity (BFV) pattern and measured the peak velocities of the percussion wave (P) and late rising tidal wave (T), the ratio of the two (P/T), the time interval between the two peaks corrected by heart rate (P-Tc), systolic flow velocity integral (FVI) and carotid artery diameter (CAD) before and after 0.4 mg dose of subligual nitroglycerin (NTG). RESULTS: 1) In hypertensives, the P wave velocity showed lower and P-Tc interval shorter than those of the normal controls at baseline. 2) After NTG, the P-Tc and P/T increased, but the T and FVI decreased significantly in both groups of subjects. 3) The P/T ratio was less significantly increased after NTG in the hypertensives than in the controls. These results suggest that NTG might have been involved in concomitant reduction and delay of the wave reflection from the peripheral vessels, preferentially in the normal subjects than in hypertensives. CONCLUSIONS: The carotid Doppler echography can be useful for the evaluation of the changes of hemodynamics in the peripheral vessel such as carotid artery in hypertensive subjects.
Administration, Sublingual ; Blood Flow Velocity/drug effects ; Carotid Arteries/ultrasonography ; Carotid Arteries/drug effects ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Human ; Hypertension/ultrasonography ; Hypertension/physiopathology* ; Hypertension/drug therapy* ; Male ; Middle Age ; Nitroglycerin/administration & dosage* ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color ; Vasodilator Agents/administration & dosage*

Transcranial Doppler (TCD) was carried out to determine the resistive index (RI) values of normal canine cerebral arteries and its reproducibility and to evaluate the change of cerebral vascular resistance following diuretics administration. RI values of rostral cerebral artery (RCA) were compared between fontanelle window and temporal window. Normal ranges and reproducibility of the RI values were examined in the rostal cerebral artery (RCA) and caudal cerebral artery (CCA). And after administration of diuretics, TCD-derived RI values were measured at RCA and CCA. Cerebral vascular RI values of RCA and CCA were 0.55 +/- 0.05 and 0.55 +/- 0.03 in the normal dogs, respectively. There was no significant difference of RI between male and female; between fontanelle window and temporal window. Reproducibility of RI measurements between intraobserver and interobserver were relatively high. The RI of RCA and CCA were significantly increased 15 minutes after mannitol administration (p<0.01) and returned to baseline values by 30 minutes, but it did not significantly change after furosemide and saline administration. The results suggest that TCD is a useful test which can obtain reproducible results from any window and has the advantage of detecting subtle changes in cerebral vascular resistance.
Animals ; Cerebral Arteries/drug effects/*ultrasonography ; Diuretics/pharmacology ; Dogs/*physiology ; Feasibility Studies ; Furosemide/pharmacology ; Mannitol/pharmacology ; Reference Values ; Reproducibility of Results ; Ultrasonography, Doppler/*veterinary ; Vascular Resistance/drug effects/*physiology

To elucidate the Ca2+ release mechanisms in the rabbit coronary artery, arterial preparations were permeabilized with beta-escin and changes in tension were measured under varying experimental conditions. Additionally, we investigated properties and distribution of two kinds of Ca2+ release mechanisms, Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release (CICR) and IP3-induced Ca2+ release (IICR). The results obtained were summarized as follows; 1. When a rabbit coronary artery was incubated in a relaxing solution containing 30 microM beta-escin for 40 min. sensitivity to externally added Ca2+ was much higher in beta-escin permeabilized muscle than in intact preparations. The contractile effect of IP3 in beta-escin permeabilized muscle was also demonstrated; 2. Caffeine and IP3 contracted coronary arteries were permeabilized with beta-escin, but the amplitude of contraction was much larger in the presence of caffeine than of IP3. 3. Intracellular heparin completely inhibited the contractions induced by IP3, but not those by caffeine. On the other hand, procaine inhibited the responses to caffeine, but not those to IP3. Ryanodine inhibited both the caffeine- and IP3-induced contractions. 4. The amplitude of contractile responses was much larger to the maximal stimulation of CICR by applying caffeine than to the maximal stimulation of IICR by applying IP3. After the maximal CICR stimulation by caffeine, the activation of IICR by IP3 without the reloading of Ca2+ could no longer evoke contraction. On the other hand, after the maximal IICR activation, the activation of CICR could still evoke contraction although the amplitude of the contraction was smaller when compared with the case without the initial IICR stimulation. 5. Acetylcholine contracted coronary artery smooth muscles were permeabilized with beta-escin. However, in the absence of added guanosine triphosphate (GTP), the responses were very small. Acetylcholine-induced contraction was inhibited by heparin, but not by procaine. From the above results, it may be concluded that there are two kinds of mechanisms of Ca2+ release, CICR and IICR, in the rabbit coronary artery smooth muscle cell. Also, whereas the CICR mechanism distributes on the membrane of the whole smooth muscle Ca2+ store, the IICR mechanism distributes only on a part of it.
Animal ; Arteries/metabolism ; Calcium/*metabolism ; Capillary Permeability/drug effects ; Coronary Vessels/drug effects/*metabolism ; Escin/pharmacology ; In Vitro ; Intracellular Membranes/*metabolism ; Rabbits ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Tissue Distribution

OBJECTIVETo investigate the vasodilating effect of capsaicin (CAP) on rat mesenteric artery and its mechanism.

METHODSThe third branch of the superior mesenteric artery in male Sprague-Dawley rat (250-350 g) was excised, the periadventitial fat and connective tissue were removed and the mesenteric artery was dissected into 2 mm rings. Each ring was placed in a 5 ml organ bath of DMT 610M system and the tension was recorded.

RESULTSCAP (10(-9)-10(-5) mol/L) relaxed endothelium-intact and endothelium-denuded mesenteric artery pre-constricted by phenylephrine (10(-5) mol/L), and the vasodilation in endothelium-intact mesenteric artery was stronger than that in endothelium-denuded one. Pretreatment with either L-NAME (3 X10(-4) mol/L), an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase(NOS), or CGRP8-37 (2 X 10(-6) mol/L), an antagonist of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), for 30 min significantly attenuated the relaxation of endothelium-intact mesenteric artery induced by CAP. CGRP (10(-10)-3 X10(-8) mol/L) relaxed endothelium-intact and endothelium-denuded mesenteric artery pre-constricted by phenylephrine, and the vasodilation in endothelium-intact mesenteric artery was stronger than that in endothelium-denuded one. Substance P did not relax the mesenteric artery pre-constricted by phenylephrine.

CONCLUSIONCAP has partial endothelium-dependent relaxation effect on rat mesenteric artery, which may be mediated by activating the endothelial NOS-NO pathway. The endothelium-independent relaxation in rat mesenteric artery induced by CAP may be mediated by CGRP.

Animals ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide ; metabolism ; Capsaicin ; pharmacology ; In Vitro Techniques ; Male ; Mesenteric Arteries ; drug effects ; physiology ; Peptide Fragments ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Vasodilation ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo investigate the acute effects of aldosterone (ALD) on mesenteric resistance vessels in normal or heart failure (HF) rats and its mechanism.

METHODSHF model was adopted by in vivo ligation of left anterior descending coronary artery in SD rats; segments of third-order branches of mesenteric artery were isolated and dissected into about 2 mm rings for isometric force recording.

RESULTSPretreated with ALD for 10 min,phenylephrine (PE)-induced contraction of normal mesenteric artery decreased first and then increased compared to control group along with the increase of the concentration of PE while decreased in HF rats. This effect was attenuated by ALD receptor-special antagonist eplerenone partially. ALD increased Ach-induced endothelial-dependent vascular relaxation significantly compared to control group both in normal and HF rats. Pretreated with ALD and dexamethasone (DEX) for 10 min, the effects of ALD on PE-induced contraction were weakened in mesenteric artery both of normal and HF rats. And this reaction of DEX to ALD-treated mesenteric in normal rats was attenuated by RU486 partially.

CONCLUSIONALD has biphasic effect in PE-induced response on mesenteric artery of normal rats, while reduces the sensitivity of mesenteric artery to PE in HF rats. DEX attenuates the biphasic effect of ALD on artery of normal rat partially but has no significant effect on that of HF rats.

Aldosterone ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Heart Failure ; physiopathology ; Male ; Mesenteric Arteries ; drug effects ; physiology ; Phenylephrine ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Vasoconstriction ; drug effects