Curcumin attenuates fructose-induced vascular dysfunction of isolated rat thoracic aorta rings

Context: Consumption of high fructose is associated with metabolic abnormalities, insulin resistance, and hypertension. It is not known whether this hypertensive effect of fructose is related to metabolic abnormalities or due to the direct effect of fructose on blood vessels.

Objective: Here, we investigated the direct effect of fructose on rat isolated aorta and the possible protective effect of curcumin.

Materials and methods: The isolated rat thoracic aorta rings were used to measure the contractile responses to different concentrations of both phenylephrine and KCl, and the relaxant response to acetylcholine (Ach). The effect of curcumin (1?µM) alone or in combination with tempol (1?mM), a superoxide dismutase mimetic agent, and N-{[3(amino-methyl)-phenyl]-methyl} ethanimidamide dihydrochloride (1400?W), a specific inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) inhibitor, (1?µM) on fructose-treated aorta was compared. The aortic rings were incubated with different treatments for 60?min before starting the experiment. Changes in the intracellular calcium in response to KCl and nitric oxide levels were also measured.

Results and discussion: Fructose strongly increased the contractile response of aortic rings to both phenylephrine and KCl (E_max was increased by 147.3% and 150.5%, respectively) but it did not affect the relaxant response to Ach. Curcumin significantly decreased the hyper responsiveness of arterial rings to both vasopressors (for phenylephrine, E_max decreased from 147.3% in fructose incubated aorta to 81%, and for KCl, E_max decreased from 150.5% in fructose-incubated aorta to 77.24% respectively). Curcumin also reduces the intracellular calcium level (85% reduction in intracellular calcium). A 1400?W was the only agent that potentiates the effect of curcumin.

Conclusion: Fructose has a direct deleterious effect on aortic vascular reactivity. Curcumin can partially protect against fructose-induced impairment in vascular contractility via an antioxidant effect and reduction of elevated intracellular calcium.     

Effect of heat shock on the vascular contractility in isolated rat aorta

Stresses such as heat shock, ischemia, and irradiation have been known to induce heat shock proteins in various tissues. We investigated the effects of heat shock on the vascular contractility by using isolated rat aorta. Rat thoracic aortic rings were mounted in an organ bath maintained at 37 degrees C. For heat shock, aortic ring preparations were exposed to 42 degrees C for either 15 or 45 min (heat shock group), whereas the control group was left at 37 degrees C. Eight hours after heat shock, aortic ring preparations were subjected to contractions with high K(+) membrane-depolarizing solution. After functional study, tissues were frozen for measurement of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70). Heat shock not only increased the expression of HSP70 in the rat aorta, but also augmented contractions to KCl whether endothelium was present or denuded. Short exposure of tissues to 42 degrees C for 15 min did not work either. These results suggest that heat shock increases vascular contractility in isolated aortic strips.     

Effect of acute and long-term treatment with 17-beta-estradiol on the vasomotor responses in the rat aorta

1. This study sought to evaluate whether the effects of acute and long-term treatment with 17-beta-estradiol on the vasomotor responses in rat aortic rings are mediated through the same mechanism. 2. Ovariectomized rats were treated daily with either 17-beta-estradiol-3-benzoate (100 microg kg(-1)) or vehicle for 1 week. 3. The effect of long-term 17-beta-estradiol treatment on the responses to cumulative doses of phenylephrine, 5-HT, calcium, potassium and 17-beta-estradiol was determined in aortic rings. In the same rings, the effect of acute exposure to 17-beta-estradiol (5 and 10 microM) on the dose response curves for phenylephrine, 5-HT, calcium, potassium and acetylcholine were estimated. The measurements were made in rings with and without intact endothelium. The tone-related basal release of nitric oxide (NO) was measured in rings with intact endothelium. 4. Long-term 17-beta-estradiol treatment reduced the maximum developed contraction to all contracting agents studied. This effect was abolished in endothelium denuded vessels. Acute 17-beta-estradiol treatment also reduced maximal contraction. This effect, however, was independent of the endothelium. 5. Long-term 17-beta-estradiol treatment significantly increased the ability of the rings to dilate in response to acetylcholine whereas acute exposure to 17-beta-estradiol had no effect. The tone-related release of NO was significantly increased after long-term exposure to 17-beta-estradiol. 6. In conclusion, this study indicate that the acute and long-term effects of 17-beta-estradiol in the rat aorta are mediated through different mechanisms. The long-term effect is mediated through the endothelium most likely by increasing NO release. In contrast, the acute effect of 17-beta-estradiol seems to be through an effect on the vascular smooth muscle cells.     

The effect of sildenafil on the altered thoracic aorta smooth muscle responses in rat pre-eclampsia model

The pathophysiology of pre-eclampsia is still unknown thus effective primary prevention is not possible at the stage. The present study was conducted to research the smooth muscle responses in the pre-eclampsia model with suramin treated rats and the effect of phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitor on these responses. Rats of three groups; control, suramin and suramin+sildenafil were given intraperitoneal injections of saline, suramin or sildenafil citrate. Suramin injections caused increased blood pressure, protein in urine and caused fetal growth retardation. The use of sildenafil citrate straightened significantly both blood pressure and average fetus weight, but did not reach to control values. At the end of pregnancy, thoracic aorta rings were exposed to contractile and relaxant agents. KCl contraction responses, sodium nitroprusside and papaverine relaxation responses were similar in three groups. Contraction responses of phenylephrine, increased significantly in suramin group. Relaxation responses of acethylcholine and bradykinin decreased in suramin group. The use of sildenafil citrate partially straightened both relaxation and contraction responses, but did not reach to control values. In all groups in the presence of L-nitromonomethylarginine (L-NAME), 1H-(1, 2, 4) oxadiazole (4, 3-a) guinoxalin-1-one (ODQ) and indomethacin decreased the relaxation responses of acetylcholine and bradykinin. The cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) content of thoracic aorta tissue was determined by radioimmunoassay technique. The content of cGMP in suramin group decreased and use of sildenafil citrate increased the cGMP content but did not reach to control values. We conclude that in pre-eclampsia, the increase of contraction responses, the decrease of relaxation responses and the decrease of cGMP content can depend on insufficiency about synthesis or release of relaxant factors which was released from the vessel endothelium. The results in this study show that in pre-eclampsia; PDE5 inhibitors enhance endothelial function and may be used for protection. Further studies are needed to clear the efficiency and safety of PDE5 inhibitors.     

Effect of tempol on altered angiotensin II and acetylcholine-mediated vascular responses in thoracic aorta isolated from rats with insulin resistance.

The altered vascular responses to various vasopressors and relaxants have been well reported in various animal models of hypertension, insulin resistance and diabetes. Though the role of oxidative stress (increased superoxide levels) associated with these altered vascular responses in hyperglycemic/diabetic state is well documented, the role of the same remains to be largely unknown in vascular dysfunction coupled with prediabetic insulin resistant state. The objective of the present study was therefore to elucidate the role of free radicals particularly superoxides if any associated with vascular dysfunction in diet-induced insulin resistance of rats. In this regard, the effect of tempol (a membrane permeable superoxide dismutase mimetic/free radical scavenger) on the enhanced Ang II-induced contraction and impaired-ACh mediated relaxation in thoracic aorta of rats with insulin resistance was studied. Ang II-induced contraction and ACh-mediated relaxation responses were recorded isometrically in endothelium intact and denuded thoracic aortic ring preparations isolated from male Sprague-Dawley rats which were fed with either normal pellet diet (NPD) (control group) or high fat diet (HFD) (insulin resistant group) for 4 weeks. The HFD-fed rats exhibited characteristic features of insulin resistance syndrome viz., obesity, hyperinsulinaemia, mild hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia, glucose intolerance and hypertension. Maximal contractile response (E(max)) to Ang II was increased in endothelium intact aortic ring preparations obtained from HFD-fed rats as compared to NPD-fed control rats. Denudation of endothelium significantly increased Ang II-mediated E(max) responses in thoracic aortic rings of NPD-fed rats, whereas it produced only minimal alteration to the E(max) in the HFD-fed rats. In addition, ACh-mediated relaxation response was impaired in endothelium intact aortic rings isolated from HFD-fed rats. Tempol (30-300 microM) significantly and dose dependently inhibited enhanced vascular responses (E(max)) of Ang II in endothelium intact, but not in endothelium denuded aortic ring preparations. Tempol (30 microM) reversed the impaired acetylcholine (ACh)-mediated relaxations in endothelium intact aortic ring preparations of HFD-fed rats. Endothelium independent vasorelaxations (EIV) to sodium nitroprusside (SNP) were similar for both NPD and HFD. In conclusion, our results indicate that superoxide radicals play crucial role in enhanced contractile and impaired vasodilatory responses to Ang II and ACh, respectively, in thoracic aortic rings isolated from diet-induced insulin resistant rats.     

Effects of gemfibrozil treatment on vascular reactivity of streptozotocin-diabetic rat aorta

The effects of gemfibrozil treatment on plasma lipids, lipid peroxides and vascular reactivity of aorta were investigated in diabetic rats. Rats were divided randomly into two groups: control and diabetic. Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (45 mg kg(-1)). Twelve weeks after the induction of diabetes, some of the control and diabetic rats were started treatment with gemfibrozil (100 mg kg(-1) daily; gavage) for 2 weeks. Blood glucose, plasma triglyceride, cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels were markedly increased and gemfibrozil treatment restored these parameters in diabetic rats. However high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels did not differ in all experimental groups. In diabetic rats, the endothelium-dependent relaxations to acetylcholine were decreased when compared with control rats. Gemfibrozil treatment restored the endothelium-dependent responses to acetylcholine in diabetic rats. The endothelium-independent relaxation responses to sodium nitroprusside were not altered in all groups. These findings suggest that gemfibrozil treatment has beneficial effects against cardiovascular and metabolic complications of diabetes via its hypolipidaemic and antioxidant properties.     

Diphasic effects of Astragalus membranaceus BUNGE (Leguminosae) on vascular tone in rat thoracic aorta

This study was designed to investigate the effects of the aqueous ethanol extract of Astragalus membranaceus BUNGE (Leguminosae) on rat thoracic aorta. Isometric tension was recorded in response to drugs in organ bath. In endothelium-intact aortic rings, A. membranaceus extract induced a significant dose-dependent relaxation of the rings precontracted by phenylephrine, which could be inhibited by preincubation with L-N(omega)-nitro-arginine methyl ester or methylthioninium chloride. In endothelium-denuded ones, the extract could dose-dependently relax the rings contracted by phenylephrine, not by KCl; and it could also attenuate contractile response to phenylephrine, not to caffeine or phorbol-12,13-diacetate in Ca(2+)-free medium; but it failed to affect the CaCl(2)-induced enhancement of contractile response to phenylephrine in Ca(2+)-free medium. These results indicate that nitric oxide signaling and Ca(2+)-handling pathway are involved in the A. membranaceus extract-induced vasodilatation.     

Effect of dietary vitamin E supplementation on vascular reactivity of thoracic aorta in streptozotocin-diabetic rats

The present study evaluated the effect of dietary vitamin E supplementation (1,000 mg/kg chow) on the alterations in vascular reactivity of streptozotocin-diabetic aorta of Wistar rats. After 12 weeks of treatment, thoracic aortic rings of rats were mounted in organ baths and contractile responses to phenylephrine and 5-hydroxytryptamine and relaxant responses to acetylcholine, calcium ionophore and sodium nitroprusside were assessed. Plasma vitamin E concentration as measured by HPLC was markedly decreased in diabetic rats and increased with dietary vitamin E supplementation. Induction of diabetes significantly impaired endothelium-dependent relaxations to acetylcholine and calcium ionophore in aortic rings, but did not change endothelium-independent relaxation to sodium nitroprusside. Vitamin E significantly improved the impaired endothelium-dependent relaxations, further it decreased the enhanced contractile response to phenylephrine and 5-hydroxytryptamine in diabetic rings. The mechanical denudation of endothelium or the chemical inhibition of endothelium-dependent relaxation with N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (100 micromol/l) significantly increased phenylephrine contractility in control rings and the rings of diabetic rats treated with vitamin E; such a difference was not observed in diabetic rats fed with normal diet. Liver and lung malondialdehyde concentrations, as an index of lipid peroxidation, were increased in diabetic rats and significantly decreased with vitamin E supplementation. It is concluded that dietary supplementation of vitamin E improved endothelial dysfunction in insulin-dependent model of uncontrolled diabetes, probably decreasing membranal lipid peroxidation.     

Free radical involvement in endothelium-dependent responses of the rat thoracic aorta in moderate hypoxic conditions.

This study investigates the effects of agents which act on the production or efficacy of free radicals on the hypoxic responses of rat aorta rings. Under moderate hypoxic conditions, the resting tension of the rings was not changed but in rings precontracted with 5-hydroxytryptamine, there was a relaxation followed by a contraction. Removal of the endothelium with saponin suppressed relaxation to acetylcholine and abolished the contractions produced by hypoxia. In rings with a functional endothelium, hypoxic vasoconstriction was strongly inhibited by mannitol and exifone, but was not reduced by N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, superoxide dismutase + catalase, or deferoxamine. Hypoxic vasodilatation was only partially inhibited by mannitol. To conclude, hypoxic constriction of the rat thoracic aorta is largely endothelium-dependent and involves free radicals whereas hypoxic dilatation is partially endothelium-dependent and partially involves free radicals. There is also indirect evidence for lack of direct involvement of nitric oxide/endothelium-derived relaxing factor (NO*/EDRF), hydroxyl radical (OH*) and superoxide anion in the hypoxic constriction and relaxation of the rat aorta.     

依达拉奉对LPC所致兔胸主动脉内皮功能的影响及机制

目的探讨依达拉奉(edaravone,Eda)对溶血磷脂酰胆碱(lysophosphatidylcholine,LPC)所致家兔血管内皮损伤的影响及机制。方法家兔胸主动脉环分别与LPC(5 mg.L-1)和Eda(25～100μmol.L-1)单独孵育或共孵育,分别检测乙酰胆碱诱导的内皮依赖性舒张反应和硝普钠诱导的非内皮依赖性舒张反应,血管组织中一氧化氮(nitric oxide,NO)和丙二醛(malonaldehyde,MDA)含量以及超氧化物歧化酶(superoxide dismutase,SOD)的活性。结果 5 mg.L-1LPC孵育血管环30 min,明显抑制了乙酰胆碱诱导的内皮依赖性舒张反应,但没有影响硝普钠诱导的非内皮依赖性舒张反应,降低了血管组织中NO含量和SOD活性而增加了MDA含量。25～100μmol.L-1Eda分别孵育血管环15min,再与5 mg.L-1LPC共同孵育30 min,明显改善LPC所致的血管舒张功能的损害,升高了血管组织中NO含量和SOD活性而降低了MDA含量。结论 Eda对LPC所致的血管内皮依赖性舒张功能的损伤具有明显的保护作用,该效应可能与其抗氧化作用有关。     

Vasorelaxant effects of eugenol on rat thoracic aorta

Eugenol is a natural pungent substance and the main component of clove oil, with vasorelaxant action. To elucidate some of the possible mechanisms involved in this action isometric tension was measured in aortic rings from male Wistar rats precontracted with phenylephrine (PHE, 10(-7) M) or KCl (75 mM). Responses to increasing concentrations of eugenol (10(-6)-10(-2) M) were obtained in the presence and absence of endothelium. In the presence of eugenol, dose-response curves to PHE (10(-9) to 10(-4) M) and KCl (5-125 mM) were displaced downwards. Concentration-dependent relaxation was observed in rings precontracted with PHE (10(-7) M) and KCl (75 mM). The tension increment produced by increasing external calcium concentration (0.25-3 mM) was also reduced by eugenol (300 microM) treatment. The inhibitory effects of eugenol (300 microM) were compared to those induced by nifedipine (0.01 microM), a selective Ca(2+) channel blocker, producing similar relaxant effects. Two other protocols were performed. After precontraction with PHE (10(-7) M), increasing concentrations of eugenol (10(-6)-10(-2) M) were used before and after N(w)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NAME, 10(-4) M) and methylene blue (10(-5) M) treatment. Eugenol-induced relaxation was reduced by endothelial damage (rubbing), L-NAME and methylene blue treatments. Results suggested that eugenol produces smooth muscle relaxation resulting from the blockade of both voltage-sensitive and receptor-operated channels that are modulated by endothelial-generated nitric oxide.     

A study on alpha-adrenoceptor mediated contractile responses of high fat diet fed rat thoracic aorta

Feeding rats with high fat diet (HFD) leads to the various conditions of syndrome-X. These are associated with hypertension through a variety of mechanisms. Vascular abnormalities probably contribute to the etiology of many diabetic complications. There is an increase in maximal responses to various agonists with blood vessels of streptozotocin induced diabetic animals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the development in HFD fed rats for altered biochemical parameters, to assess the vascular responses to phenylephrine (PE), to estimate the KA values and to observe the receptor occupancy. Body weights, plasma triglycerides, cholesterol, and glucose levels were measured every week in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Glucose tolerance test was performed after 4 weeks of feeding. At the end of the fourth week of feeding, concentration-response curves of PE were recorded. Altered KA values of PE (NPD fed rats 2.0 +/- 0.4 microM and HFD fed rats 0.3 +/- 0.1 microM) and receptor occupancy response (NPD fed rats 92.1 +/- 1.7% and HFD fed rats 77.5 +/- 5.6%) strongly suggest that hypertension in HFD fed rats is associated with altered alpha-adrenoceptor function.     

Lysophosphatidylcholine potentiates vascular contractile responses in rat aorta via activation of tyrosine kinase

We previously reported that while lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) does not itself produce contraction, it significantly potentiates the contractile responses induced by high-K(+), UK14,304 (a selective alpha(2)-adrenoceptor agonist) and phorbol ester in the endothelium-denuded rat aorta. To further investigate this phenomenon, we examined the effects of genistein and tyrphostin B42 (both tyrosine kinase inhibitors) on the LPC-induced potentiation of the contractile responses to high-K(+) and UK14,304 in the endothelium-denuded rat aorta. Although genistein (3 x 10(-6) M, 10(-5) M) did not affect the high-K(+)-induced contractile response, it selectively inhibited the potentiating effect of LPC on the contraction and it strongly inhibited the LPC-induced augmentation of the associated increases in [Ca(2+)](i). Genistein also attenuated the LPC-induced augmentation effects on both the increase in [Ca(2+)](i) and contractile response induced by the UK14,304. In contrast, daidzein (10(-5) M) did not inhibit the potentiating effect of LPC. Tyrphostin B42 (3 x 10(-5) M) attenuated the potentiating effect of LPC on high K(+)-induced contractions. Western blot analysis showed that LPC increased the tyrosine phosphorylation of a number of proteins, including 42 and 44 kDa proteins and 53 - 64 kDa proteins. These protein phosphorylations were inhibited by genistein. Sodium orthovanadate (10(-4) M), a tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, also markedly enhanced the high-K(+)-induced contractile responses. This enhancing effect was attenuated by genistein. These results suggest that the LPC-induced augmentation of contractile responses in the rat aorta is due to activation of tyrosine kinase, which in turn regulates Ca(2+) influx.     

Vasorelaxant effect of euxanthone in the rat thoracic aorta

This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of euxanthone on isolated rat thoracic aorta. Euxanthone concentration-dependently relaxed high K+-induced sustained contractions with IC50 values of 32.28+/-1.73 microM and this inhibition was antagonized by increasing the Ca2+ concentration in the medium. These results indicated that euxanthone may have calcium antagonistic property. Euxanthone also relaxed norepinephrine (NE)-induced sustained contractions with IC50 values of 32.50+/-2.15 microM and this relaxant effect was unaffected by the removal of endothelium or by the presence of propranolol, indomethacin, glibenclamide or N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine. Moreover, euxanthone inhibited both the phasic and tonic contractions induced by NE in a concentration-dependent manner and showed more potent inhibition on phasic contraction (P < 0.01). Pre-treatment with euxanthone inhibited vascular contraction induced by phorbol 12, 13-dibutyrate (PDBu), a protein kinase C (PKC) agonist, in either the presence or absence of Ca2+ in the solution with IC50 values of 20.15+/-1.56 and 18.30+/-1.62 microM, respectively. However, when the tissues were treated with euxanthone after the PDBu-induced contraction had reached a steady state, the tension was not affected by euxanthone. This study also showed that the inhibitory effect of pre-treatment of euxanthone was more potent than the post-treatment after the tension had reached a steady state. These results suggested that the vasorelaxation of euxanthone may be through multiple pathways involved PKC-mediated signal pathway and calcium-independent pathway besides the direct inhibition of calcium influx and its vasorelaxant effect is more active on calcium-independent pathway and more sensitive to the initial stage of contraction.     

Effect of divalent cations on KCl- and noradrenaline-induced contractile responses in rat aorta after nifedipine treatment.

Nifedipine (1 microM) relaxed the sustained contractile responses induced by 1 microM noradrenaline or 60 mM KCl in rat aortic strips. After washing, a second addition of the spasmogens gave smaller tonic contractions than the first one. Even more, a third addition of KCl also gave a smaller contraction than the first one, but a complete recovery of the contractile response to noradrenaline was obtained by a third addition of this agonist. Application of cumulative amounts of Ca2+ or Ba2+ (2.4-24 mM) on the residual contraction in response to these agents after nifedipine treatment, but in the absence of the blocker, restored the magnitude of the contractile responses. Addition of cumulative amounts of Mg2+ (2.4-24 mM) did not modify or even relax the contractile responses to KCl and noradrenaline, respectively.     

2,3-吲哚醌对大鼠离体胸主动脉舒缩功能的影响

<正>2,3-吲哚醌(2,3-indolinedione,isatin,ISA)为吲哚类衍生物,又名靛红,是近年发现存在于人和动物体内的一种内源性活性物质,且广泛存在于海洋生物如龙虾和十字花科植物中[1-2]。基础及临床研究表明,ISA在人体不同器官和体液中均有分布[3-5]。研究表明,ISA使动物产生类似焦虑的行为,并且在焦虑和紧张的状态下,心脏、脑、血浆中其水平会升高[6-8]。然而,目前ISA对胸主动脉舒缩功能的调控作用及机制尚不十分清楚。因此,本研究利用离体血管环实验模型,探讨ISA对大鼠离体胸主动脉舒收缩功能的影响及机制,为心血管疾病的防治提供新的理论依据。     

Chronic mercury exposure at different concentrations produces opposed vascular responses in rat aorta

Mercury chloride exposure for 30 days decreases NO bioavailability and increases oxidative stress. However, the mechanisms underlying the effects of mercury on the cardiovascular system are not completely understood, and it is not known if they are dose‐dependent or if some concentrations have no harmful effects. Thus, we investigated the effects of chronic exposure to doses low (half) and high (2.5‐fold higher) than that needed to obtain 29 nmol/L of HgCl₂ on the vascular function. Three‐month‐old male Wistar rats received intramuscular (i.m.) HgCl₂ for 30 days and were divided in three groups: lower (Low Hg); higher (High Hg); and saline was used as the control. High Hg exposure increased the contractile response to phenylephrine (PHE) in aortic rings, but Low Hg reduced it. The hyporesponsiveness in the Low Hg rats was blunted by endothelial denudation and NOS inhibition with l ‐NAME (100 μmol/L). The phosphorylated‐eNOS/eNOS protein ratio increased in the aortas of Low Hg rats. In the High Hg group, endothelial denudation increased the PHE‐induced contractions, while l ‐NAME had no effects and indomethacin (10 μmol/L), losartan (10 μmol/L) and apocynin (30 μmol/L) reduced this response. In the High Hg group, protein levels of the NADPH oxidase subunit gp91phox and cyclooxygenase‐2 increased. Our results support previous suggestions that High Hg increases oxidative stress that might activate an inflammatory cascade and the renin‐angiotensin system. However, very low Hg concentrations below the level considered safe still reduced vascular reactivity, suggesting the need for special attention to continuous exposure as a putative cause of increased cardiovascular risk.     

Lysophosphatidylcholine activates extracellular-signal-regulated protein kinase and potentiates vascular contractile responses in rat aorta

We previously reported that in the endothelium-denuded rat aorta, lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) potentiates the contractile responses induced by high-K(+), UK14,304 (a selective alpha(2)-adrenoceptor agonist), and phorbol ester with an associated tyrosine-phosphorylation of proteins. To further investigate this phenomenon, we examined the effects of extracellular-signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK)-kinase (MEK) inhibitors on the LPC-induced potentiation of the contractile responses to high-K(+) and UK14,304 in this tissue. Although PD98059 (3 x 10(-)(5) M) did not affect the high-K(+)-induced contractile response itself, it selectively inhibited the potentiating effect of LPC on the contraction and strongly inhibited the LPC-induced augmentation of the associated increase in [Ca(2+)](i). PD98059 also attenuated the LPC-induced augmentations of the increases in [Ca(2+)](i) and contractile tension induced by UK14,304. U0126 (5 x 10(-)(5) M), another MEK inhibitor, also attenuated the potentiating effect of LPC on high-K(+)-induced contractions. Western blot analysis revealed that LPC produced an increase in ERK-phosphorylation, and that this was inhibited by PD98059. Nicardipine inhibited the contractile response to 15 mM K(+) in the LPC-treated aorta, but not the increase in ERK-phosphorylation induced by LPC. These results suggest that the LPC-induced augmentation of contractile responses in the rat aorta is due to activation of ERK, which in turn regulates Ca(2+) influx.     

Effects of thapsigargin in isolated rat thoracic aorta

The effect of thapsigargin (Tg) was studied in rat thoracic aorta. Tg (10(-8)-10(-5) M) had a dual effect on rat aorta. Thus, Tg induced a concentration dependent increase in basal tone in normal physiological salt solution (PSS), while Tg in potassium (K+) precontracted aortic rings caused a concentration related relaxation and shifted the K+-concentration response curve to the right and depressed the maximal response to K+. Removal of vascular endothelium abolished the relaxant response to Tg and increased the sensitivity of the preparations to the contractile effect of Tg. The contractile response to Tg was resistent to wash-out in drug-free PSS and was not affected by phentolamine, indomethacin or mepyramine but partly reduced by the calcium-antagonist nitrendipine and eliminated by wash-out in calcium-free PSS. Atropine eliminated the endothelium dependent relaxant effect of carbachol, but had no effect on the Tg or on the calcium ionophore A 23187 evoked relaxation. Ultraviolet radiation decreased the relaxant effect of Tg and A 23187 without affecting the carbachol induced relaxations. The results showed that vascular endothelium depressed the contractile effect of Tg and that Tg like A 23187 had an endothelium dependent relaxant effect on rat aorta different from that of carbachol. The results indicate that Tg in vascular smooth muscle acts by stimulating the transmembranal influx of extracellular calcium.