Effect of endothelin-3 on cytosolic calcium level in vascular endothelium and on smooth muscle contraction

Black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) relaxes the isolated rat thoracic aorta through endothelium-dependent and -independent mechanisms

AIM OF THE STUDY

The rhizome of the Cimicifuga racemosa (commonly known as black cohosh) has been used in treatment of climacteric complaints for decades in North America and Europe. A number of studies investigated the estrogenic potential of black cohosh, but its effectiveness is still controversial. Recently, it was reported that the extract of black cohosh acted as an agonist at the serotonin (5-HT) receptor and 5-HT derivative was isolated out of the black cohosh extract. Because it is well known that the 5-HT elicited the various cardiovascular effects including vasorelaxation, we investigated the vasorelaxant effects of the extract of black cohosh and its possible mechanisms of action.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The extract of black cohosh (BcEx) was examined for its vasorelaxant effects in isolated rat aorta. The aortic rings were equilibrated under resting tension and induced reproducible contraction in organ bath. The control contraction was produced by 300 nM NE, and then BcEx were added. In experiments where specific inhibitors were used, they were added 20 min before NE contraction.

RESULTS

BcEx elicited two phases of relaxation in rat aorta pre-contracted with norepinephrine. The first, a rapid relaxation, which occurred within seconds of BcEx administration, was eliminated by pretreatment with N(G)-nitro-l-arginine (l-NNA) or methylene blue. The endogenous NO synthase substrate l-Arg markedly reversed the action of l-NNA, indicating that BcEx elicited the vasorelaxant effect via the NO/cGMP pathway. The second, slowly developing relaxation was not affected by the endothelium denudation. BcEx-induced endothelium-independent vasorelaxation appears to involve the inhibition of calcium influx mediated by the opening of inward rectifier potassium channels.

CONCLUSIONS

BcEx elicits the vasorelaxant effect via endothelium-dependent and -independent mechanisms and may contribute to a better understanding of a potential link between the use of black cohosh and its beneficial effects on vascular health.

Synergistic vasorelaxant and antihypertensive effects of Ligusticum wallichii and Angelica gigas

AIM OF THE STUDY

The synergistic vasorelaxant and antihypertensive effects of Ligusticum wallichii and Angelica gigas were examined in isolated rat aorta rings and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The ethanol extract of Ligusticum wallichii (LwEx) or Angelica gigas (AgEx) or their combinations at ratios Ligusticum wallichii:Angelica gigas = 1:1 (MxEx11), 1:3 (MxEx13), and 3:1 (and MxEx31), and their successive water soluble (LwDw, AgDw, MxDw11, MxDw13 and MxDw31) or n-butanol soluble fractions (LwBt, AgBt, MxBt11, MxBt13, and MxBt31) were examined for their vasorelaxant effects. In an antihypertensive study, LwEx, AgEx, or MxEx11 (100 mg/kg) was orally administered to SHRs, and the systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressure were measured using the tail-cuff method before and 1, 3, 5, 7, and 24 h after oral administration.

RESULTS

Each of the ethanol extracts caused long-term relaxation in endothelium-intact or endothelium-denuded rat aorta preconstricted with norepinephrine (NE, 300 nM). All of the water phases of the ethanol extracts elicited an endothelium-dependent acute relaxation, and the water phase of MxDw11 (EC50 values: 1.08 mg/mL, P < 0.05) had the highest activity. MxDw11-induced acute relaxation was abolished by pretreatment with N(G)-nitro-L-arginine (10 microM), methylene blue (1.0 microM), or atropine (0.1 microM), indicating that the response to MxDw involves the enhancement of the nitric oxide-cGMP system. On the other hand, all of the butanol phases showed an endothelium-independent long-term relaxation, and MxBt11 (85 +/- 7% relaxation of NE-preconstricted active tone at 20 min after the addition, P < 0.05) displayed the highest activity. MxBt11-induced gradual relaxation was significantly attenuated by an inward rectifier potassium-channel inhibitor, but not by an ATP-sensitive or a large conductance Ca2+-activated potassium-channel blocker. Calcium concentration-dependent contraction curves in high-potassium, depolarizing medium were shifted significantly to the right and downward after incubation with MxBt11 (0.03, 0.1, and 0.3 mg/mL), implying that MxBt11 is also involved in the inhibition of extracellular calcium influx to vascular smooth muscle. MxEx11 (100 mg/kg) significantly reduced systolic blood pressure of SHRs at 3, 5, and 7 h after oral administration, but this effect was not induced by Ligusticum wallichii or Angelica gigas alone.

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of Ligusticum wallichii and Angelica gigas elicits a synergistic effect on vasorelaxation in isolated rat aortas and antihypertension in SHRs. The ratio of Ligusticum wallichii: Angelica gigas = 1:1 was the most effective of all combinations tested.

Chronic ethanol intake modulates vascular levels of endothelin-1 receptor and enhances the pressor response to endothelin-1 in anaesthetized rats

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The contribution of endothelin-1 (ET-1) to vascular hyper-reactivity associated with chronic ethanol intake, a major risk factor in several cardiovascular diseases, remains to be investigated.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

The biphasic haemodynamic responses to ET-1 (0.01-0.1 nmol kg(-1), i.v.) or to the selective ETB agonist, IRL1620 (0.001-1.0 nmol kg(-1), i.v.), with or without ETA or ETB antagonists (BQ123 (c(DTrp-Dasp-Pro-Dval-Leu)) at 1 and 2.5 mg kg(-1) and BQ788 (N-cis-2,6-dimethyl-piperidinocarbonyl-L-gamma-methylleucyl1-D-1methoxycarbonyltryptophanyl-D-norleucine) at 0.25 mg kg(-1), respectively) were tested in anaesthetized rats, after 2 weeks' chronic ethanol treatment. Hepatic parameters and ET receptor protein levels were also determined.

KEY RESULTS

The initial hypotensive responses to ET-1 or IRL1620 were unaffected by chronic ethanol intake, whereas the subsequent pressor effects induced by ET-1, but not by IRL1620, were potentiated. BQ123 at 2.5 but not 1 mg kg(-1) reduced the pressor responses to ET-1 in ethanol-treated rats. Conversely, BQ788 (0.25 mg kg(-1)) potentiated ET-1-induced increases in mean arterial blood pressure in control as well as in ethanol-treated rats. Interestingly, in the latter group, increases in heart rate, induced by ET-1 at a dose of 0.025 mg kg(-1) were enhanced following ETB receptor blockade. Finally, we observed higher levels of ETA receptor in the heart and mesenteric artery and a reduction of ETB receptor protein levels in the aorta and kidney from rats chronically treated with ethanol.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Increased vascular reactivity to ET-1 and altered protein levels of ETA and ETB receptors could play a role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular complications associated with chronic ethanol consumption.

Cirsium japonicum elicits endothelium-dependent relaxation via histamine H(1)-receptor in rat thoracic aorta

Cirsium japonicum De Candole is widely used in traditional herbal medicine for the treatment of hemorrhage, hypertension or blood circulation in Korea. In this work, we investigated the vasorelaxant activity of an aqueous extract of C. japonicum whole plant (CjEx) and its possible mechanism in isolated rat thoracic aortic rings constricted with norepinephrine (NE; 300 nmol/l). CjEx elicited an acute relaxation in endothelium-intact rings in a concentration-dependent manner (0.1-1.0 mg/ml). This relaxation was eliminated by the removal of the endothelium and pretreatment with N(G)-nitro-L-arginine (10 micromol/l), methylene blue (1 micromol/l) or diphenylhydramine (10 micromol/l), but indomethacin (10 micromol/l) atropine (100 nmol/l), [D-Pro(2), D-Trp(7,9)] substance P (5 micromol/l) or HOE-140 (10 nmol/l) did not affect the relaxation. The results indicate that the response to CjEx involves enhancement of the nitric oxide-cyclic guanosine monophosphate system, and that it occurs via histamine H(1)-receptor. Our findings may contribute to better understanding of the potential link between the clinical use and its beneficial effects on vascular health.

Aqueous extract of Schizandra chinensis fruit causes endothelium-dependent and -independent relaxation of isolated rat thoracic aorta

An aqueous extract of Schizandra chinensis fruit (ScEx) has long been used to promote the vascular health of postmenopausal women in Korea. This study investigated the ability of ScEx to relax rat aorta constricted with norepinephrine (NE) and the mechanism(s) of such relaxation. ScEx induced partial, endothelium-dependent relaxation. In particular, the relaxation induced by lower concentrations of ScEx (0.1 and 0.3 mg/ml) was largely endothelium-dependent, and was essentially abolished by NG-nitro-L-arginine, methylene blue, 1H-[1,2,3] oxadiazole [4,4-a] quinoxalin-1-one, indomethacin, or ICI 182,780. The results indicate that the response to ScEx involves enhancement of the nitric oxide (NO)-cGMP system, and that it occurs via estrogen receptors. The magnitude of the inhibition with these treatments decreased with increasing ScEx concentration, however, indicating that other vasorelaxation mechanisms are involved, which depend on the ScEx concentration. Calcium concentration-dependent contraction curves in high potassium depolarization medium were shifted significantly to the right and downward after incubation with ScEx (0.3 and 1.0 mg/ml), implying that ScEx is also involved in inhibition of the extracellular calcium influx to vascular smooth muscle. These data demonstrate that ScEx caused both endothelium-dependent and -independent vasorelaxation, which may contribute to understanding the cardiovascular protective effect of ScEx.

Endothelium-dependent noradrenergic hyperresponsiveness induced by thapsigargin in human saphenous veins: role of thromboxane and calcium

To further investigate the mechanisms which regulate sympathetic vascular tone, we studied the effects of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase inhibitor, thapsigargin, on the vasoconstriction induced by transmural nerve stimulation and noradrenaline in superfused human saphenous vein rings. The contractions induced by both transmural nerve stimulation and noradrenaline were potentiated by thapsigargin in endothelium-intact, but not in endothelium-denuded vessels. This potentiation was unaffected by the non-selective endothelin ET(A/B) receptor antagonist, Ro 47-0203 (4-tert-Butyyl-N-[6-(2-hydroxy-ethoxy)-5-(2-methoxy-phenoxy)-2,2'-bipyrimidin-4yl]benzene sulfonamide), or by the nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor, L-NNA (N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine), but was inhibited by the thromboxane A(2) receptor antagonist, Bay u3405 (3(R)-[[(4-flurophenyl) sulphonyl]amino-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-9H-carbazole-9-propanoic acid]) or by the thromboxane A(2) synthase inhibitor, UK 38485 (3-(1H-imidazol-1-yl-methyl)-2-methyl-1H-indole-1-propanoic acid). Moreover, the thapsigargin-induced noradrenergic hyperresponsiveness, as well as that produced by subthreshold concentrations of the thromboxane A(2) mimetic, U 46619, were blocked by the Ca(2+) channel antagonist, verapamil. In conclusion, our results indicate that thapsigargin enhances the contractions produced by sympathetic nerve stimulation in human saphenous vein rings through the endothelial release of thromboxane A(2) that potentiates the vasoconstriction induced by the noradrenergic mediator with a verapamil-sensitive mechanism.

Nitric oxide-mediated vasorelaxation by Rhizoma Ligustici wallichii in isolated rat thoracic aorta

The vasorelaxant effect of Rhizoma Ligustici wallichii and its possible mechanism of action on the vasomotor tone of the rat thoracic aortic rings were examined in an organ bath. Chloroform extracts of Rhizoma Ligustici wallichii (Ch1LW) elicited a dose-dependent, transient, relaxing response in endothelium-intact rat aorta contracted with norepinephrine (NE). This relaxant effect was abolished by removal of the endothelium and also by pretreatment with nitric oxide synthase inhibitors. Neither a muscarinic receptor antagonist nor a cyclooxygenase inhibitor altered the Ch1LW-induced relaxation. Tetramethylpyrazine, derived from Rhizoma Ligustici wallichii as a potent vasodilating component, induced a complete relaxation in both endothelium-intact and denuded rat aortas contracted by NE, but nitric oxide synthase inhibitors did not affect the relaxation. Ch1LW-induced endothelium-dependent relaxation was mediated by nitric oxide released from the endothelium, and could be caused by component(s) other than tetramethylpyrazine.

Endothelin-1 and -3 diminish neuronal NE release through an NO mechanism in rat anterior hypothalamus

The existence of endothelin binding sites on the catecholaminergic neurons of the hypothalamus suggests that endothelins (ETs) participate in the regulation of noradrenergic transmission modulating various hypothalamic-controlled processes such as blood pressure, cardiovascular activity, etc. The effects of ET-1 and ET-3 on the neuronal release of norepinephrine (NE) as well as the receptors and intracellular pathway involved were studied in the rat anterior hypothalamus. ET-1 (10 nM) and ET-3 (10 nM) diminished neuronal NE release and the effect blocked by the selective ET type B receptor antagonist BQ-788 (100 nM). N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (10 microM), methylene blue (10 microM), and KT5823 (2 microM), inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase activity, guanylate cyclase, and protein kinase G, respectively, prevented the inhibitory effects of both ETs on neuronal NE release. In addition, both ETs increased nitric oxide synthase activity. Furthermore, 100 microM picrotoxin, a GABA(A)-receptor antagonist, inhibited ET-1 and ET-3 response. Our results show that ET-1 as well as ET-3 has an inhibitory neuromodulatory effect on NE release in the anterior hypothalamus mediated by the ET type B receptor and the involvement of a nitric oxide-dependent pathway and GABA(A) receptors. ET-1 and ET-3 may thus diminish available NE in the synaptic gap leading to decreased noradrenergic activity.

Geissoschizine methyl ether, an indole alkaloid extracted from Uncariae Ramulus et Uncus, is a potent vasorelaxant of isolated rat aorta

Effects of geissoschizine methyl ether, an indole alkaloid isolated from the hook of Uncariae Ramulus et Uncus, on vascular responses were examined using isolated strips of rat aorta. Geissoschizine methyl ether (10(-7)-10(-4) M) relaxed norepinephrine (5x10(-8) M)-induced contraction in a dose-dependent manner. The potency (50% efficacy concentration, EC(50)=0.744 microM) was approximately 14 times greater than that (EC(50)=10.6 microM) of hirsutine, one of the indole alkaloids isolated from Uncariae Ramulus et Uncus that demonstrates a vasorelaxant effect by Ca(2+)-channel blocking. The vasorelaxant effect of geissoschizine methyl ether found at the lower concentrations (10(-7)-3x10(-6) M) on the norepinephrine-induced contraction was abolished by pretreatment with N(G)-nitro-L-arginine (10(-4) M), an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthesis, or by denuding aortas of endothelium, while the effects at the higher concentrations (10(-5)-10(-4) M) were not completely prevented by either N(G)-nitro-L-arginine and deendothelialization. Furthermore, geissoschizine methyl ether did not relax high K(+)-, Ca(2+)- and a Ca(2+)-channel agonist Bay K8644-induced contractions at the lower concentrations that markedly relaxed the norepinephrine-induced contractions, while the higher concentrations of geissoschizine methyl ether relaxed the high K(+)-, Ca(2+)- and Bay K8644-induced contractions. These results suggest that the vasorelaxant effect of geissoschizine methyl ether is composed of two different mechanisms: endothelial dependency with nitric oxide and endothelial independency with voltage-dependent Ca(2+)-channel blocking.

Nitric oxide-mediated endothelium-dependent relaxation of rat thoracic aorta induced by aqueous extract of red rice fermented with Monascus ruber

Vasodilatory effects of aqueous extract of red rice fermented with Monascus ruber IFO32318 were examined on the isolated rat aorta. The water phase of fermented rice with Monascus (WP/FRM, 0.1-10 mg/ml) caused a transient relaxation of the endothelium-intact rat aorta precontracted with norepinephrine (NE, 300 nM). The WP/FRM-induced relaxation was abolished by removal of endothelium or in the presence of N(G)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA, 10 microM), a nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor. Neither atropine, a muscarinic receptor antagonist (10 microM), nor indomethacin, a cyclooxygenase inhibitor (10 microM), altered the WP/FRM-induced endothelium-dependent relaxation. gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA), one of the principle components of the extract, did not affect the muscle tension of the aorta with intact endothelium. In addition, WP/FRM increased the production of NO in primary cultured endothelial cells from human umbilical vein. The enhanced production of NO by WP/FRM was diminished by pretreatment with L-NNA (10 microM). In conclusion, WP/FRM induces relaxation of rat aorta by releasing NO from endothelium. There seem to be some unknown factor(s) other than acetylcholine (Ach) and GABA, in the aqueous extract of red rice, which stimulate vascular endothelial cells to produce and/or release NO leading to endothelium-dependent relaxation by WP/FRM.

Salt-sensitive hypertension in endothelin-B receptor-deficient rats

The role of the endothelin-B receptor (ET(B)) in vascular homeostasis is controversial because the receptor has both pressor and depressor effects in vivo. Spotting lethal (sl) rats carry a naturally occurring deletion in the ET(B) gene that completely abrogates functional receptor expression. Rats homozygous for this mutation die shortly after birth due to congenital distal intestinal aganglionosis. Genetic rescue of ET(B)(sl/sl) rats from this developmental defect using a dopamine--hydroxylase (DBH)-ET(B) transgene results in ET(B)-deficient adult rats. On a sodium-deficient diet, DBH-ET(B);ET(B)(sl/sl) and DBH-ET(B);ET(B)(+/+) rats both exhibit a normal arterial blood pressure, but on a high-sodium diet, the former are severely hypertensive. We find no difference in plasma renin activity or plasma aldosterone concentration between salt-fed wild-type, DBH-ET(B);ET(B)(+/+) or DBH-ET(B);ET(B)(sl/sl) rats, and acute responses to intravenous L-NAME and indomethacin are similar between DBH-ET(B);ET(B)(sl/sl) and DBH-ET(B);ET(B)(+/+) rats. Irrespective of diet, DBH-ET(B);ET(B)(sl/sl) rats exhibit increased circulating ET-1, and, on a high-sodium diet, they show increased but incomplete hypotensive responses to acute treatment an ET(A)-antagonist. Normal pressure is restored in salt-fed DBH-ET(B);ET(B)(sl/sl) rats when the epithelial sodium channel is blocked with amiloride. We conclude that DBH-ET(B);ET(B)(sl/sl) rats are a novel single-locus genetic model of severe salt-sensitive hypertension. Our results suggest that DBH-ET(B);ET(B)(sl/sl) rats are hypertensive because they lack the normal tonic inhibition of the renal epithelial sodium channel.

Influence of endothelin-1 on clonidine-induced cardiovascular effects in anesthetized rabbits

This study was designed to investigate the effect of endothelin-1 (ET-1) on clonidine-induced cardiovascular effects in urethane-anesthetized rabbits and to clarify the mechanism of its action. Clonidine (5, 10, and 20 micrograms/kg) given into a femoral vein (i.v.) produced a marked dose-dependent fall in arterial blood pressure and heart rate, but intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) clonidine (2, 4, and 8 micrograms/kg) induced a slight depressor effect and bradycardia. Intravenous clonidine-induced hypotension was significantly enhanced by pretreatment with ET-1 or sarafotoxin, but the bradycardia was not affected. Intracerebroventricular clonidine-induced depressor responses were greatly inhibited by sarafotoxin pretreatment but not by ET-1. Both i.v. and i.c.v. ET-1 and sarafotoxin elicited marked hypotensive responses, with a slight decrease in heart rate. The depressor action evoked by i.v. ET-1 and sarafotoxin was significantly inhibited by nitroprusside but not by phentolamine or sodium acetylsalicylate. Furthermore, the weak bradycardia induced by ET-1 or sarafotoxin was not influenced by pretreatment with phentolamine, nitroprusside, or sodium acetylsalicylate. Taken together, these experimental data suggest that ET-1 potentiates clonidine-induced hypotensive responses in the urethane-anesthetized rabbit through facilitation of nitric oxide release, which appears to be associated with endothelin receptors.

Role of protein kinase C in the endothelin-induced contraction in the rabbit saphenous vein

The role of protein kinase C in the endothelin-induced contraction was examined in the isolated rabbit saphenous vein in which endothelin-1, endothelin-3, sarafotoxin S6c and IRL 1620 (succinyl-[Glu9,Ala11,15]endothelin-1-(8-21))-induced contraction at the threshold concentrations of 0.1-1 pM. A selective inhibitor of protein kinase C, 500 nM calphostin C (2-[12-[2-(benzyloxy)propyl]-3, 10-dihydro-4,9-dihydroxy-2,6,7,11-tetramethoxy-3, 10-dioxo-1-perylenyl]-1-methylethyl carbonic acid 4-hydroxyphenyl ester), shifted the concentration-response curves for these agonists to the right 7.4- to 109-fold. In the vein in which the endothelin ETB receptor was desensitized, sarafotoxin S6c and IRL 1620 were ineffective whereas endothelin-1 and higher concentrations of endothelin-3 induced contractions by activating the endothelin ET(A) receptor. Calphostin C (500 nM) shifted the concentration-response curves for endothelin-1 and endothelin-3 to the right more than 155-fold. Down-regulation of protein kinase C (by treatment with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate for 20 h) shifted the concentration-response curves for these agonists to the right before and after desensitization of the endothelin ETB receptor 3.7- to 59-fold. In the permeabilized smooth muscle, Ca(2+)-induced contraction was enhanced by endothelin-1, endothelin-3 and sarafotoxin S6c at concentrations much higher than those needed to induce contraction (threshold concentration was 3 nM). Calphostin C and down-regulation of protein kinase C shifted the concentration-response curves for endothelin-1 and endothelin-3 to the right and downwards without changing the effect of sarafotoxin S6c. In the permeabilized muscle in which the endothelin ETB receptor was desensitized, endothelin-1 and endothelin-3 still augmented the Ca(2+)-induced contraction. Calphostin C and down-regulation of protein kinase C shifted the concentration-response curves for endothelin-1 and endothelin-3 to the right and downwards. These results suggest that protein kinase C is involved in the contraction mediated by the endothelin ET(A) and ETB receptors; and Ca2+ sensitization mediated by the endothelin ET(A) receptor is due to activation of protein kinase C whereas Ca2+ sensitization mediated by the endothelin ETB receptor may be due not only to the activation of protein kinase C but also to other mechanisms.

EndothelinB receptor activation enhances parathyroid hormone-induced calcium signals in UMR-106 cells

In studies of the regulation of parathyroid hormone (PTH) signal transduction, we observed that the peptide endothelin-1 (ET) added prior to PTH greatly increased the calcium transients elicited by PTH in UMR-106 osteosarcoma cells and mouse primary osteoblastic cells. Enhancement by ET also occurred in the presence of EGTA. The ETB receptor-specific agonist sarafotoxin 6c (S6c) likewise enhanced PTH-induced Ca2+ transients. Blocking the ETA receptor-mediated component of the ET signal with BQ123 failed to abolish enhancement of PTH responses by ET. The nonselective ETA/ETB receptor antagonist PD 142893 blocked both ET and S6c-induced enhancement of the PTH responses. Prostaglandin F1 alpha (PGF1 alpha) pretreatment also maximally potentiated PTH responses, whereas alpha-thrombin, epidermal growth factor (EGF), or prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) did not affect the PTH responses. Neither active phorbol ester nor forskolin mimicked the ET effect. The ET effect was not prevented by indomethacin, NG-mono-methylarginine, genistein, pertussis toxin, 4-aminopyridine, tetraethylammonium chloride, okadaic acid, or long-term treatment with phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate. ET pretreatment did not abolish the inhibition of PTH signals by PTH(3-34), although in ET-pretreated cells the suppression of the PTH signal by PTH(3-34) was not as great. ET pretreatment did not enhance the cAMP response to PTH; rather, there was a significant inhibition of the cAMP response. Thus, the calcium signal elicited by PTH is selectively modulated by activation of the ETB receptor.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Endothelin-3-induced relaxation of isolated rat basilar artery is mediated by an endothelial ETB-type endothelin receptor

The endothelin (ET) receptor mediating relaxation of cerebral arteries was characterized using ring segments obtained from the rat basilar artery. Under resting tension, ET-3 (> 10(-8) M) but not the specific ETB receptor agonist IRL 1620 induced contraction. In ring segments precontracted with 3 x 10(-6) M prostaglandin (PG) F2 alpha, ET-3 (10(-12) - 10(-8) M) and IRL 1620 (10(-14) - 10(-6) M) induced concentration-related relaxation. IRL 1620 was more potent than ET-3, the pD2 (-log10EC50) values being 10.002 +/- 0.751 (mean +/- SD) for IRL 1620 and 8.836 +/- 0.415 for ET-3. Relaxation was abolished after preincubation with the nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine (10(-5) M) as well as in segments devoid of a functionally intact endothelium. At a concentration above 10(-8) M, ET-3 resulted in a further increase of PGF2 alpha-induced contraction that was not observed with IRL 1620. The presumably specific ETB receptor antagonist IRL 1038 (10(-7) - 3 x 10(-6) M) diminished or even abolished (3 x 10(-6) M) the relaxation induced by ET-3 or IRL 1620. IRL 1038 did not exert any vasomotor effect by itself, and it did not significantly affect ET-3-induced contraction. These results indicate that in the rat isolated basilar artery, the ET-3-induced relaxation is probably due to activation of an ETB-type receptor located on the endothelial cells and mediated by release of nitric oxide.

Coupling of the endothelin ETA and ETB receptors to Ca2+ mobilization and Ca2+ sensitization in vascular smooth muscle

Effects of endothelins on cytosolic Ca2+ level ([Ca2+]i) and contraction were examined in the swine pulmonary artery and vein. In the artery, endothelin-1 and endothelin-3, but not sarafotoxin S6c and IRL 1620 (300 nM each), induced transient increase followed by sustained increase in [Ca2+]i and sustained contraction. These effects were inhibited by the ETA receptor antagonist, BQ-123. In the vein, endothelin-1 and endothelin-3 (300 nM each) induced sustained increase in [Ca2+]i and sustained contraction whereas sarafotoxin S6c and IRL 1620 (300 nM each) transiently increased both [Ca2+]i and contractile tension. The ETB receptor in the vein was desensitized by pretreatment with sarafotoxin S6c, abolishing the effects of sarafotoxin S6c and IRL 1620 without changing the effects of endothelin-1 and endothelin-3. In contrast, an ETB antagonist, RES-701-1, antagonized the effects of IRL 1620 without changing the effects of other stimulants. In both artery and vein, the maximum contraction induced by these stimulants was greater than that induced by KCl at a given [Ca2+]i. In the absence of external Ca2+, endothelin-1 and endothelin-3 induced transient increase in [Ca2+]i and slow sustained contraction in both artery and vein. In the vein, sarafotoxin S6c induced small sustained contraction without changing [Ca2+]i. In the permeabilized artery and vein, endothelin-1 augmented the contraction induced by Ca2+. These results suggest that the ETA receptors in the artery and vein are coupled to Ca2+ release (which does not seem to trigger contraction), Ca2+ influx and Ca2+ sensitization.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Different mechanisms can activate Ca2+ entrance via cation currents in endothelial cells

Effects of Endothelin-1 (ET-1) and cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) on non-specific cation channels in cultured bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells (BPAECs) were investigated using the patch-clamp technique. In a bath solution containing Ca2+ as a permeant cation, 10 nM ET-1 increased inward and outward currents and this current reversed at -10 mV instead of -60 mV. Under similar conditions, 10 microM CPA, an inhibitor of Ca2+ pumps in the sarcoplasmic reticulum, also increased both currents which now reversed near -10 mV. An inorganic Ca2+ influx blocker, La3+ at 50 microM completely blocked ET-1 and CPA-evoked currents restoring the reversal potential to -60 mV. ET-1 and CPA evoked currents were partially blocked by 50 microM SK&F 96365 (a putative inhibitor of receptor-mediated Ca2+ entry). ET-1 and CPA increased Ca2+ influx by activation of the Ca(2+)-permeable non-specific cation channels, which are gated by the depletion of intracellular Ca2+ stores in endothelial cells. These results, together with a previous study demonstrating that this Ca2+ entrance pathway can be opened directly by one vasodilator (LP-805) reveal that different mechanisms exist to activate Ca2+ entrance into endothelial cells. All may allow sustained release of endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF).

Endothelin-induced contraction and relaxation of rat isolated basilar artery: effect of BQ-123

In ring segments from rat basilar artery (BA) the endothelin (ET) peptides ET-1, ET-2, and ET-3 induced concentration-related contractions. The order of potency was ET-1 = ET-2 > ET-3, while no differences occurred in the maximum contraction. The selective ETA receptor antagonist, BQ-123 (10(-10)-10(-4) M) alone elicited a small contraction only at 10(-4) M. In the presence of BQ-123 (10(-7)-10(-5) M), the concentration-response curve for ET-1 was shifted to the right without any decrease in maximum contraction, indicating competitive inhibition of ET-1 binding to the ETA receptor by BQ-123. The pA2 value calculated for BQ-123 was 6.935; the slope of the regression curve was 0.734. In contrast to ET-1, the contractile action of ET-3 was abolished by 10(-5) M BQ-123. In segments precontracted with 10(-6) M serotonin, ET-3, but not ET-1, induced relaxation at low concentrations (10(-11)-10(-8) M), with maximum relaxation amounting to 17.8 +/- 14.7% of precontraction (mean +/- SD; n = 16). The relaxant action of ET-3 was abolished in vessels incubated with NG-nitro-L-arginine (10(-5) M), an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase. These results indicate that the ET-induced contraction of the isolated rat BA involves activation of the ETA receptor. The ET-3-induced relaxation of precontracted rat BA is apparently mediated by release of nitric oxide from the endothelium.

Two types of endothelin B receptors mediating relaxation in the guinea pig ileum

In guinea pig ileum, binding assays showed the existence of endothelin (ET) receptors of ETA (isopeptide-selective) and ETB (nonselective) subtypes. ETs induced relaxation followed by contraction. ET-1 induced greater contraction at lower concentrations than ET-3. An ETA antagonist, BQ-123, shifted the concentration-response curves for ETs to the right. An ETB antagonist, IRL 1038, shifted the concentration-response curve for ET-3 to the right and downwards with little effect on the curve for ET-1. In contrast, ET-1 and ET-3 induced relaxation at similar concentrations. The relaxation induced by ETs was composed of an initial transient relaxation followed by sustained relaxation. Only the transient phase was inhibited by IRL 1038 in a concentration-dependent manner. These results suggest that the ET-induced relaxation is mediated by two types of ETB receptor; transient and sustained relaxations are mediated respectively by IRL 1038-sensitive and IRL 1038-insensitive subtypes of ETB receptor. In contrast, the contractile effect seems to be mediated mainly by the ETA receptor and partially by an IRL 1038-sensitive subtype of ETB receptor.

Induction of endothelium-dependent relaxation in the rat aorta by IRL 1620, a novel and selective agonist at the endothelin ETB receptor

1. The effects of a novel and selective agonist at the endothelin ETB receptor, IRL 1620 (Suc-[Glu9, Ala11,15] endothelin-1 (8-21)), were examined in the isolated aorta of the rat. 2. IRL 1620 (1-300 nM) changed neither the resting tone nor the cytosolic Ca2+ level ([Ca2+]i) of the aorta without endothelium. In the presence of endothelium, however, IRL 1620 increased endothelial [Ca2+]i with little effect on the muscle tone. In the absence of external Ca2+, IRL 1620 still induced a transient increase in endothelial [Ca2+]i. 3. Noradrenaline (100 nM) increased both muscle [Ca2+]i and tension. IRL 1620 (1-300 nM) relaxed the muscle with an increase in endothelial [Ca2+]i only in the presence of endothelium. An inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, 100 microM NG-monomethyl-L-arginine, inhibited the relaxant effect of IRL 1620 but not the increase in endothelial [Ca2+]i. 4. In resting and noradrenaline-stimulated aorta, the effects of IRL 1620 were inhibited by a selective antagonist of the ETB receptor, IRL 1038 (0.3-3 microM), although a selective antagonist of the ETA receptor, BQ-123 (3 microM), was ineffective. Verapamil (10 microM) did not alter the effects of IRL 1620. 5. A muscarinic receptor agonist, carbachol (1 microM), also induced endothelium-dependent relaxation with an increase in endothelial [Ca2+]i. However, the effects of carbachol were not inhibited by the ETB antagonist, IRL 1038 (3 microM). 6. These results suggest that IRL 1620 is a selective agonist at the ETB receptor which increases endothelial [Ca2+]i by releasing Ca2+ from storage sites and by opening non-L type Ca2+ channels,activates nitric oxide synthase, releases nitric oxide, and relaxes vascular smooth muscle.

A novel subtype of endothelin B receptor mediating contraction in swine pulmonary vein

Effects of agonists and antagonists of endothelin (ET) receptors were examined in swine pulmonary artery and vein and in rabbit saphenous vein. ET-1, but not ETB receptor agonists, sarafotoxin S6c (STXc) and IRL 1620, induced contraction in pulmonary artery. This effect was inhibited by the ETA receptor antagonists, BQ-123 and FR139317, but not by the ETB receptor antagonist, IRL 1038. Pulmonary artery precontracted by norepinephrine was relaxed by ET-3 in an endothelium-dependent manner. This relaxation was inhibited by IRL 1038 but not by BQ-123. In pulmonary vein, ET-1, ET-3, STXc and IRL 1620 induced contractions at a similar concentration range. ET-1 induced contraction also in saphenous vein. These contractions were not inhibited by BQ-123, FR139317 or IRL 1038. These results suggest that the isopeptide-selective ETA receptor mediates contraction in swine pulmonary artery whereas the isopeptide-nonselective ETB receptor mediates release of endothelium-derived relaxing factor. In contrast, contractions in the veins may be mediated by a novel subtype of isopeptide-nonselective ETB receptor which is not inhibited by IRL 1038.