5-hydroxytryptamine: source of activator calcium in human basilar arteries

Characterization of the human basilar artery contractile response to 5-HT and triptans

To study the contractile responses of the human basilar artery to 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), sumatriptan, zolmitriptan and naratriptan, and to characterize the 5-HT receptor subtypes involved on those responses, human basilar artery rings were prepared for isometric contraction, protein isolation and Western blotting analysis. Concentration-response (CR) curves were made for all agonists in the absence or in the presence of selective antagonists at 5-HT1B (cyanopindolol), 5-HT1D (BRL 15,572) and 5-HT2 (ketanserin) receptors. We also used anti-5-HT1B and 5-HT1D receptor antibodies to search for the expression of protein of these receptor subtypes. From the CR curves, the relative intrinsic activity and potency of these agonists were determined. The ranking order for the intrinsic activity was 5-HT > or = sumatriptan > zolmitriptan > or = naratriptan, whereas that for the potency was zolmitriptan > or = 5-HT > or = sumatriptan > naratriptan. Our results also show that the human basilar artery seems to have a mixed population of 5-HT1B/1D receptors mediating the contractile response to triptans, which is also suggested by the expression of both receptor subtypes. There is also a population of 5-HT2 receptors for which the antimigraine drugs used have no apparent affinity. From this study, one can conclude that the second generation triptans have lower contractile capacity than sumatriptan, suggesting that they have a better cerebrovascular safety profile.

Effect of Ca2+ agonist Bay K 8644 in human placental arteries

1. Bay K 8644 (0.1 microM induced weak contractions in human placental artery segments that were increased in the presence of 7.5 mM K+. K+ and serotonin (5-HT) induced contractions that were enhanced by preincubation of segments with Bay K 8644. These enhancements were reduced by nifedipine (0.1 microM) and diltiazem (1 microM). 2. Bay K 8644 induced a 45Ca2+ uptake increase which was potentiated by depolarization with K+ (less than 30 mM) and antagonized by nifedipine. K+ (15 and 30 mM) and 5-HT (1 microM) induced 45Ca2+ uptake that was enhanced by Bay K 8644. 3. These results suggest that Bay K 8644: (1) is unable to activate the quiescent potential-operated Ca2+ channels (POCs) of these arteries, and (2) activates receptor (5-HT)-operated Ca2+ channels or facilitates Ca2+ influx through POCs activated by 5-HT.

Calcium channels in cerebral arteries

Electrophysiological evidence shows the existence of voltage-operated Ca2+ channels of the L- and, in some cases, T- and B-, type in the smooth muscle cells of major cerebral arteries and arterioles. Current intensity through L-type Ca2+ channels is higher in cerebral than in peripheral arteries, which points to a greater dependence on extracellular Ca2+ of contractile responses in cerebral arteries. The increase in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration is the key event leading both to maintenance of basal cerebrovascular tone and to contraction of cerebral arteries in response to depolarization and agonist-receptor interaction. Such an increase results from increased transmembrane influx of Ca2+ through L-type Ca2+ channels, as well as from the release of Ca2+ from intracellular Ca2+ stores. Ca2+ entry modulators (dihydropyridines, phenylalkylamines, benzothiazepines, and diphenylpiperazines) bind to allosterically coupled sites in the Ca2+ channel, thus inhibiting (Ca2+ entry blockers) or stimulating (Ca2+ entry activators) Ca2+ influx and, therefore, contractile responses of the cerebral arteries. In vivo, Ca2+ entry blockers increase pial vascular caliber and cerebral blood flow by their direct action on the cerebroarterial wall. However, such an action also takes place on several peripheral vascular beds, which leads to hypotension. Therefore, the brain cannot be considered a "privileged" organ when the vasodilatatory action of Ca2+ entry blockers is considered. Since increased cytosolic Ca2+ concentration (and, therefore, activation of Ca2+ channels) plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of ischemic brain damage (e.g., acute stroke and subarachnoid hemorrhage), Ca2+ entry blockers could be useful cytoprotective drugs. However, with the exception of nimodipine in the management of subarachnoid hemorrhage, clinical trials have yielded results that are not so promising as one could expect from those obtained in experimental research.

Intracellular Ca2+ release in cerebral arteries

Vasoconstricting agonists elevate the intracellular Ca2+ concentration and induce tension development in vascular smooth muscle cells by inducing both Ca2+ influx from the extracellular space and Ca2+ release from cellular stores. The relative importance of Ca2+ release has been found to vary between different sites in the vasculature. This review examines the role of Ca2+ release in the activation of cerebral arteries produced by several vasoconstricting stimuli. Although the activation of cerebral arteries by agonists such as 5-hydroxytryptamine and noradrenaline has typically been found to have little dependence on Ca2+ release, other vasoconstrictors such as thromboxane A2, which may be released from the endothelium by other agonists, appear to induce a substantial intracellular Ca2+ release in cerebral arteries. The limited efficacy of Ca2+ influx blockers in the treatment of delayed cerebrovascular constriction occurring as a result of subarachnoid haemorrhage suggests that intracellular mechanisms such as Ca2+ release and/or the activation of protein kinase C may be important determinants of vasoconstriction under pathological conditions.

Heterogeneity of vascular dementia: mechanisms and subgroups

Today, multiple, thromboembolically generated cerebral infarcts are regarded as the main pathogenetic pathway of vascular dementia (VAD), with multi-infarct dementia (MID) as its clinical counterpart. However, taking into account other vascular mechanisms that may influence the brain, such as vessel-wall damage (atherosclerosis, hyalinosis, amyloid angiopathy, or blood-brain barrier dysfunction), cerebrovascular insufficiency (disturbance of systemic circulation, perfusion vulnerability related to the vascular anatomy of the brain, or disturbance of autoregulation), and hyperviscosity, it is evident that MID is not the only VAD category. The diagnosis of MID ought to be reserved for the combination of progressive dementia associated with cerebral ischemic events and evidence of infarction that is mainly associated with the large cerebral arteries. Subcortical white-matter dementia characterized by frontosubcortical symptomatology, white-matter lesions, and small-vessel involvement with or without lacunes/infarcts--a combination of lacunar dementia and Binswanger's disease--appears to be another important VAD disease.

Effects of 5-hydroxytryptamine on human isolated placental chorionic arteries and veins

1. Effects of 5-hydroxytrypamine (5-HT) on cylindrical segments of human chorionic arteries and veins were investigated. Concentrations of 5-HT (up to 3 x 10(-6) M) produced concentration-dependent contractions; higher concentrations induced a reduction of the maximal response. These responses were antagonized by methysergide and ketanserin in a non-competitive manner. The contractions elicited by low 5-HT concentrations were more affected by methysergide (10(-7) M) than by ketanserin (10(-7) M). Ketanserin apparently increased the responses to high 5-HT concentrations in veins. Arteries appeared to be more sensitive to both drugs than veins. Single concentrations of 5-HT elicited transient contractions in both kinds of vessel. 2. Marked tachyphylaxis was seen in segments exposed to high concentrations of 5-HT or in which a concentration-response curve was determined. 3. Contractions induced by 5-HT were reduced in a Ca2+-free medium. Veins were more affected by the Ca2+ antagonists, nifedipine (10(-7) M), nicardipine (10(-5) M) and diltiazem (10(-5) M) than arteries. 4. 5-HT (10(-6) M) enhanced 45Ca2+ uptake in those vessels in which a concentration-response curve had not been previously determined. In veins, this increase was reduced by the three Ca2+ antagonists. 5. The results indicate that 5-HT responses in these vessels were greatly dependent on extracellular Ca2+. A type of 5-HT1-receptor may mediate responses to low 5-HT concentrations, while higher concentrations may activate 5-HT2-receptors. 5-HT may desensitize the latter by interconversion between a high affinity and low affinity state, as suggested by others, a change prevented in part by ketanserin.

Interference of pentobarbital and verapamil with the reactivity of middle cerebral artery of cat exposed to experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage

1. Pentobarbital and verapamil produced concentration-dependent vasodilation in segments of middle cerebral artery of either control or exposed to experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) cats precontracted with 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, 10(-5) M) or K+ (75 mM), the potency to evoke relaxation being greater for verapamil than pentobarbital. 2. Pentobarbital (10(-4) M and 10(-3) M) or verapamil (10(-6) M) inhibited the contractions induced by 10(-5) M 5-HT or 75 mM K+ in both kinds of vessels. 3. Pentobarbital (10(-3) M) and verapamil (10(-6) M) reduced the concentration-dependent contractions induced by Ca2+ addition in control and SAH arteries previously exposed to Ca2+-free medium containing K+ or 5-HT. 4. All these vasodepressor effects of pentobarbital and verapamil were similar in control and SAH vessels, suggesting that the sensitivity of them to these agents is unaffected by SAH.

Effect of subarachnoid hemorrhage on intracranial pulse waves in cats

The influence of vasoconstrictors of intracranial arteries on the amplitude and configuration of the intracranial pulse wave (ICPW) was investigated. Continuous pressure recordings from the descending aorta (systemic arterial pressure) and the third cerebral ventricle (intracranial pressure) were obtained from anesthetized cats. Computerized analysis of the configuration, amplitude, and frequency spectrum of ventricular wave (ICPW) and aortic pulse wave (SAPW) was performed. Artificial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), blood, or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) was injected intracisternally. In 24 control cats, 2 ml artificial CSF was injected into the cisterna magna. This produced a significant increase in amplitude of the ICPW but no change in the SAPW. Ten animals received 14 intracisternal injections of 2 ml autologous blood which caused narrowing of the amplitude of the ICPW as well as of all its components (P1, P2, and P3), with no significant change in the SAPW's. Eight animals were also subjected to cisternal injection of 2 ml of a 10(-4)-M solution of 5-HT, resulting in findings similar to those produced by autologous blood. Frequency spectrum of the intracranial and aortic pulse waves showed a high degree of correlation between wave amplitudes and height of the fundamental wave in the FFT record. These results suggest that the cerebral vasospasm that follows cisternal injections of blood and 5-HT in cats can be diagnosed by analysis of the ICPW. This method may allow early diagnosis and continuous monitoring of cerebral vasospasm in humans.

Increased monoamine metabolite concentrations and cholinesterase activities in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with acute stroke

Twenty-one patients with acute brain infarction, 8 with transient ischemic attack and 20 controls were investigated for lumbar cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) monoamine metabolites and cholinesterases. The diseased patients were lumbar punctured on 2 occasions, mean Days 1 (0-3) and 5 (3-9) after debut of symptoms. Monoamine concentrations were determined by reverse phase liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection and the cholinergic enzymes were measured photometrically. Increased concentrations of 3-methoxytyramine (3-MT), homovanillic acid (HVA), 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HI-AA) and increased activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) in lumbar cerebrospinal fluid was found in patients with acute brain infarction when compared to control values, while the levels of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) were not altered. No change of any neurotransmitter metabolite concentration/enzyme activity were found between Day 1 and Day 5 in the diseased patients. These data suggest an increased release of these neurotransmitter markers from necrotic brain areas into the cerebrospinal fluid and/or altered barriers between blood, brain and CSF and/or a dysfunction of the arachnoid villi to clear substances from the CSF. We therefore concluded that CSF neurotransmitters may be useful as specific brain markers in acute stroke.

Effect of pentobarbital on the contraction and calcium movements in cat cerebral and peripheral arteries

Pentobarbital (PB) induced concentration-dependent vasodilation in cylindrical segments of cat cerebral and femoral arteries precontracted with 75 mM K+ or 10(-5) M serotonin (5-HT). PB (10(-4) or 10(-3) M, 10 min preincubations) caused concentration-dependent inhibition of the contraction produced by both agents. The exposure of the vessels to a Ca2+-free medium annulled the response elicited by K+ in both kinds of arteries. In this medium, the contraction induced by 5-HT in cerebral arteries was abolished, whereas in femoral ones it was significantly reduced. This residual response was abolished by PB. The intracellular 45Ca2+ uptake (La3+ method) elicited by K+ in both kinds of arteries and by 5-HT in cerebral ones was reduced in a concentration-dependent manner by PB (10(-4)-10(-3) M). The spontaneous 45Ca2+ efflux from these arteries and that induced by La3+ (10 mM) were unaffected by PB (10(-3) M). These results indicate that the vasodepressor effects induced by PB are essentially due to an interference of the barbiturate with the Ca2+ entry into the vascular smooth muscle cell in both kinds of arteries and with the intracellular Ca2+ movements in femoral ones. It does not seem to exist a clear selectivity of PB for brain or peripheral arteries for antagonizing the responses caused by K+ or 5-HT.