阻塞性黄疸大鼠离体胸主动脉收缩与舒张功能的变化

目的:研究阻塞性黄疸大鼠离体胸主动脉收缩及舒张功能的变化规律,探讨高胆红素血症导致阻塞性黄疸大鼠离体胸主动脉收缩及舒张功能变化的可能机制。方法:60只雄性SD大鼠随机分为胆总管结扎(BDL)组和假手术(SO)组,每组30只,术后3、7、14 d,取大鼠离体胸主动脉环,分别测定大鼠胸主动脉对高浓度钾离子(K+)诱发的最大收缩幅度、梯度浓度去甲肾上腺素(NE)和去氧肾上腺素(PE)引起的收缩反应以及硝普钠(SNP)引起的舒张反应。另取40只雄性SD大鼠,随机分为SO组、BDL 3 d组、BDL 7 d组、BDL 14 d组,每组10只。取大鼠的胸主动脉组织,利用Western印迹方法检测大鼠胸主动脉肾上腺素α1D受体亚型(α1D-AR)蛋白表达情况。结果:高钾离子、NE、PE 在BDL大鼠离体胸主动脉引起的收缩反应弱于SO组,而硝普钠引起的舒张反应强于SO组;BDL组大鼠α1D-AR蛋白表达较SO组减弱,并且随阻塞时间的延长,减弱更加明显。结论:BDL大鼠离体胸主动脉的收缩与舒张功能在高胆红素血症时发生改变,α1D-AR蛋白表达下降可能是收缩功能减弱的原因之一。     

缺氧肺动脉高压发病机制研究进展:15-LO/15-HETE的作用

缺氧肺动脉高压(HPH)以急性缺氧肺动脉收缩(HPV)和慢性缺氧导致的肺血管床重构(HPVR)引起的肺动脉压持续升高为特征的临床常见病症。参与HPH的中介因子很多,但没有一种可以完整地阐述其发病机制。本实验室前期工作发现缺氧可使肺血管15-脂酯氧化酶(15-LO)表达升高,后者催化花生四烯酸,生成15-羟基二十碳四烯酸(15-HETE)。研究发现15-LO/15-HETE参与HPV与HPVR的众多过程,提示15-LO/15-HETE可能是HPH发病过程的一个中介因子。对15-LO/15-HETE研究将更好地阐述HPH的发病机制,寻找更有效的临床治疗靶点。     

慢性低氧左移5-HT诱发大鼠肺内动脉环收缩反应的浓度-依赖性曲线

目的探讨慢性低氧对大鼠肺内动脉血管重构以及5-HT诱发肺内动脉血管环收缩效应的影响。方法常压慢性低氧诱导慢性肺动脉高压大鼠模型。比较正常组（NOR组）和慢性低氧组（CH组）大鼠血流动力学参数平均右心室收缩压（mRVSP）,平均右心室压（mRVP）及右心室压最大上升速率（dp／dtmax）及右心室肥厚指数以鉴定模型;光学显微镜下观察肺血管的病理改变;记录肺内动脉血管张力,观察5-羟色胺（5-HT）收缩效应;比较不同Ca^2＋通道阻断剂对5-HT引起的收缩效应的阻断作用。结果与NOR组比较,低氧3～4周后CH组的mRVSP、mRVP、dp／dtmax和右心室肥厚指数均明显增高（P〈0．01）;CH组大鼠肺内动脉中膜显著增生;CH组的5-HT引起的肺内动脉环收缩的浓度-依赖性反应曲线左移;30μmol／L氯化镧对30μmol／L 5-HT预收缩肺内动脉血管环效应的阻断作用在CH组显著增高（P〈0．01）,但30μmol／L SKF96365的阻断作用无显著性意义。结论慢性低氧3～4周可稳定引起大鼠肺动脉高压,并左移5-HT诱发的肺内动脉环收缩的浓度-依赖性反应曲线;Ca^2＋池操纵性Ca^2＋通道功能的上调可能是CH组5-HT高反应性的一种机制。     

An often unrecognized cause of thunderclap headache: reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome

Thunderclap headache (TCH) can have several causes of which subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is most common and well known. A rare cause of TCH is the reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS) which is characterized by a reversible segmental vasoconstriction of the intracranial vessels. We describe two patients with TCH due to RCVS and the probable precipitating factor, namely, cannabis and an anti-migraine drug. In RCVS, cerebrospinal fluid examination is (near) normal, in contrast to SAH and (primary) cerebral vasculitis. Brain MRI may be normal or shows infarction. MRA can demonstrate vasoconstriction of the great arteries, but a normal MRA does not rule out the diagnosis. Caliber changes on cerebral angiography cannot adequately differentiate between RCVS and vasculitis. Calcium-channel antagonists may be a good therapy and repeated transcranial Doppler ultrasonography can be a reliable non-invasive investigation to monitor the effect of treatment and demonstrate reversibility of the vasoconstriction.     

In vivo real time monitoring of vasoconstriction and vasodilation by a combined diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and Doppler optical coherence tomography approach

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A combined diffuse reflectance (DR) spectroscopy and doppler optical coherence tomography (DOCT) approach may offer a powerful means for assessment of tissue function, and potentially provide a way for earlier cancer detection through non-invasive local blood supply measurements. The goal of the study was to compare a DR-derived blood-content-related index to a measure of local blood supply flow as furnished by DOCT during manipulations with blood circulation (vasoconstriction and vasodilation), investigate similarities and differences, complementarity of techniques, and then applying these results to the underlying biology. STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS: Simultaneous DR-DOCT measurements of local blood supply were conducted during drug and mechanically-induced vasoconstriction and vasodilatation on an externalized intact rat gut in vivo. A simple heuristic metric, termed Blood Supply Index was derived from the spectroscopic DR data. This metric variance due to mechanical and pharmacological manipulation of the local blood supply was recorded, and compared with that of two DOCT-derived metrics, namely normalized blood velocity (v(rel)) and blood vessel diameter (D). SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS: During vasoconstriction and vasodilatation, the local blood response was successfully visualized by both DOCT and DR metrics and a reproducible correlation was found between these two measurements. A combined DR-DOCT approach may evolve into a technologically-viable method for cross-validation of the derived haemodynamic metrics, yielding a more reliable functional tissue assessment tool for accurate cancer diagnosis and staging.     

The effects of endogenous sex hormones and acute hypoxia on vasoconstriction in isolated rat pulmonary artery rings

BACKGROUND: Studies have noted gender differences in various models but have not investigated whether hormone depletion will abolish these differences. Therefore, we measured isometric force displacement in normal males, castrated males, normal females, and ovarectomized females. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Adult male, adult female, castrated male, and ovarectomized female (250-350 g) Sprague Dawley rat pulmonary arteries (n = 7-8/group) were isolated and suspended in physiological organ baths. Force displacement was continuously recorded for 60 min of hypoxia. Data (mean +/- SEM) was analyzed with two-way analysis of variance with post-hoc Bonferroni test or Student's t-test. RESULTS: Maximum vasodilation of normal males was -79.47 +/- 3.34%, while normal adult females exhibited a maximum vasodilation of -88.70 +/- 6.21% (P = 0.8149). In addition, delayed, phase II vasoconstriction of male pulmonary arteries rings was 89.79 +/- 7.25%, while adult females demonstrated a maximum phase II vasoconstriction of 95.90 +/- 14.23% (P = 0.9342). Hormone depletion of males exhibited a maximum vasodilation of -70.45 +/- 5.08% for castrated males as compared to -79.47 +/- 3.34% for normal adult males (P = 0.3805). Castrated males exhibited a maximum phase II vasoconstriction of 86.20 +/- 15.76% compared to 89.79 +/- 7.25% exhibited by normal adult males (P = 0.9516). CONCLUSIONS: Hormone depletion in males and females did not alter pulmonary vasoreactivity in acute hypoxia.     

Vascular alpha1-adrenoceptors in isolated perfused rat kidney: influence of ageing

1. The present study identifies alpha1-adrenoceptor subtype(s) involved in constrictor responses of the kidney and how ageing influences it. 2. The study was conducted on kidneys from F344BNF1 rats, which unlike F344 or Wistar rats used by many previous investigators do not exhibit glomerulonephritis at advanced age. 3. Noradrenaline (NA) and phenylephrine (PHE) (non-selective alpha1) and A61063 (selective alpha(1A)) adrenoceptor agonists elicited constriction of perfused kidneys of young and old rats. The pD2 values (index of renovascular reactivity) were significantly higher for A61603 than for either PHE or NA, and significantly decrease across age groups. 4. BMY 7378 or RS 100329, alpha(1D)- or alpha(1A)-adrenoceptor antagonists, respectively antagonized the constrictor responses and suppressed the maximal responses to all agonists in young adult rat kidneys. However, antagonism of PHE or A61063 by BMY 7378 in old rat kidneys was surmountable. 5. This study suggests that: (i) alpha(1A) and alpha(1D)-adrenoceptor subtypes mediate vasoconstriction of perfused rat kidney; (ii) alpha(1A)-adrenoceptor subtype appears to predominate in renal vasculature based on agonist relative potencies. (iii) Ageing significantly decreases alpha1-adrenoceptor-mediated vasoconstriction of rat kidney.     

Is the Primary Mechanism Underlying COPD: Inflammation or Ischaemia?

Abstract

The mechanisms underlying the majority of COPD cases have remained ill-defined. Cigarette smoke contains many toxic chemicals that certainly cause some inflammatory responses, but this article advances a hypothesis that the nicotine and similar compounds within the smoke acting as vasoconstrictors of bronchiolar arterioles may be more important via multiple small infarcts that eventually destroy lung tissue. The hypothesis can explain many of the known features of COPD and if accepted would significantly alter the approach to this condition.     

Role of sympathetic nerve and adrenal gland in the potentiation of hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction during cigarette smoking

Summary The aim of this study was to investigate the role of sympathetic nerve and adrenal gland in the changes in hemodynamics and hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) induced by cigarette smoking in Wistar rats. Data showed that an increment of pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) induced by alveolar hypoxia was partially prevented by prazosin (α₁-receptor blocker) and prazosin combined with propranolol (β-receptor blocker), but not significantly affected by propranolol or adrenalectomy. Cigarette smoking tould increase PVR and potentiate HPV, whereas the potentiation of HPV was partially inhibited by prazosin and strengthened by propranolol, but not affected by adrenalectomy. It is suggested that the sympathetic nerve excitation caused by cigarette smoking may play a role in the strengthening of HPV.