The Physiology of Vasodilatation

Role of nitrosyl factors in the hindlimb vasodilation elicited by baroreceptor afferent nerve stimulation

This study determined whether electrical stimulation (ES) of the baroreceptor afferent fibers in the aortic depressor nerve (ADN) produces hindlimb vasodilation in pentobarbital-anesthetized rats via the release of nitric oxide (NO)-containing (nitrosyl) factors from NO synthase-positive lumbar sympathetic nerve terminals. ES of the ADN (1-10 Hz for 15 s) produced frequency-dependent reductions in mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and mesenteric and hindlimb vascular resistance (MR and HLR, respectively). The falls in resistance were substantially smaller in hindlimb beds in which the ipsilateral lumbar sympathetic chain had been transected 7-10 days previously. The maximal falls in MR and hindquarter vascular resistance (HQR) produced by 1- to 10-Hz ES of the ADN were unaffected by the specific inhibitor of neuronal NO synthase 7-nitroindazole (7-NI, 45 mg/kg iv). However, the total falls in HQR (mmHg.kHz(-1).s) produced by these stimuli were significantly diminished by 7-NI, whereas the total falls in MR were not affected. Four successive episodes of 10-Hz ES produced equivalent reductions in MAP, MR, and HQR. The peak changes in these parameters were not affected by 7-NI. However, the total falls in HQR progressively diminished with each successive stimulus, whereas the total falls in MR remained unchanged. These results provide evidence that the hindlimb vasodilation produced by ES of baroreceptor afferents within the ADN may involve the activation of postganglionic lumbar sympathetic vasodilator fibers, which release newly synthesized and preformed nitrosyl factors.

Cholinergic constriction in the general circulation and its role in coronary artery spasm

The release of acetylcholine from autonomic nerves in those tissues that receive a cholinergic innervation is widely believed to dilate blood vessels. Exogenously administered acetylcholine in vivo does dilate vascular beds and produce hypotension; however, this latter effect is indirect and probably the result of liberation of endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) from endothelial cells. Some blood vessels contain a substantial population of medial constrictor receptors for acetylcholine, and the implications of this presence for vascular control systems has been largely ignored, although it needs to be considered. A survey of the evolution of vasomotor control systems indicates that acetylcholine serves principally as an excitatory transmitter to blood vessels. Neurally mediated cholinergic constriction and not dilation is found in fish, amphibians, reptiles, and birds, with responses initiated by medial muscarinic receptors. Acetylcholine constricts many vascular preparations from these lower animals, but some vessels relax, reflecting the emergence of an EDRF responsive to acetylcholine. An examination of cholinergic responses in mammalian vessels reveals that cholinergic (neurogenic) dilation is limited to a very few vascular beds and to only a few species. Both experimental evidence and evolutionary considerations support the likelihood that cholinergic (neural) constriction operates in some vascular regions in mammals and, in particular, in the coronary circulation of some species, including humans. In fact, constriction, and not dilation, may be the dominant vascular response to activation of the cholinergic axis in most mammals, including humans. The complications and contradictions introduced by the simultaneous presence of both EDRF and a cholinergic constrictor innervation involving medial muscarinic receptors are discussed. A variety of evidence is also presented that implicates cholinergic constriction in at least some instances of coronary artery spasm and sudden death.

Antihistamine-sensitive active vasodilatation in the perfused hindquarters of the rat

The innervated, constant flow perfused hindquarters of the rat have been used to evaluate post-stimulation vasodilatation, which is a model of active reflex vasodilatation in this species. The vasodilatation resulting from lumbar sympathetic stimulation was dependent on stimulation frequency and duration. Maximal vasodilatation (16 +/- 2%) was at 8 Hz for 15 s, while markedly reduced vasodilatation was seen after stimulation for longer than 30 s at all frequencies tested. The vasodilatation was transient. Atropine (2.0 mg kg-1 i.v.) failed to attenuate post-stimulation vasodilatation at a time when hindquarter vasodilatation to i.a. acetylcholine had been abolished. The H1 antihistamine, tripelennamine (2.5 mg kg-1 i.v.) significantly reduced (77%) post-stimulation vasodilatation relative to controls at a time when hindquarter vasodilatation due to i.a. histamine was essentially abolished. Reactive hyperaemia is an unlikely cause of vasodilatation since it is not blocked by H1 antihistamines; 60 s post-occlusion hyperaemia also, was not demonstrable. These data suggest that there is an active component of baroreceptor-mediated vasodilatation in the rat and that histamine, rather than acetylcholine, could be a mediator of this vasodilatation.

Sympathetic, muscarinic vasodilation in cranial vessels of the cat

Pressor responses evoked by stimulation of the preganglionic sympathetic trunk of the feline superior cervical ganglion have been recorded in vivo from the vascular bed perfused by one external carotid and the vertebral artery. When vasoconstrictor activity is blocked and potential vasodilator activity enhanced by close, intracarotid injection of guanethidine and prostaglandin F2 alpha respectively, stimulation evokes a weak pressor response followed, on cessation of stimulation, by a prolonged vasodilation lasting for 6-8 min. The magnitude and duration of the poststimulation vasodilation was reduced significantly by atropine. Due to the prolonged nature of the vasodilation, it is unlikely that a sympathetic cholinergic vasodilation in the classical sense is involved.

In search of mediators of skin vasodilation induced by transcutaneous nerve stimulation: I. Failure to block the response by antagonists of endogenous vasodilators

Low-frequency transcutaneous nerve stimulation (TNS) produces marked and widespread increases in skin temperature in ischaemic limbs of patients with Raynaud's disease and diabetic polyneuropathy. The prolonged time course of the temperature rise, which is due to increased cutaneous microcirculation, indicates the involvement of a long-lasting neurohumoral substance or metabolite. The vascular response is insensitive to conventional low doses of naloxone (Kaada, 1982a). In the present study the possible release of known endogenous vasodilators, all operating through the sympathetic nerves (Fig. 1, Nos 2-8), have been tested in patients by employing selective pharmacological antagonists or inhibitors to see if the stimulation-induced vasodilation could be blocked. The response was not antagonised either by beta-adrenergic, cholinergic, histaminergic, purinergic, or dopaminergic antagonists or by inhibitors of prostaglandins or plasma kinins.

Further evidence for a muscarinic component to the neural vasodilator innervation of cerebral and cranial extracerebral arteries of the cat

Transmural electrical stimulation of segments of lingual and cerebral (basilar, middle and posterior cerebral) and also other cranial arteries of the cat results after a long latency in a dilator response. The response may be resolved into two components--an initial transient atropine-sensitive component and a slower more ponderous one that is atropine-resistant. The variability in pattern of dilation responses from segments of different vessels or even those from the same segment of different cats is considerable. Some responses are entirely atropine-sensitive and others atropine-resistant; however the vast majority show a dilation that can be considered to be made up of both components. The latencies of the atropine-sensitive and atropine-resistant components are not different. The effect of atropine on the lingual but not the cerebral arteries is frequency dependent, being proportionately greater at low than at high frequencies. In both vessels, the effect of atropine is independent of train length at 1 Hz. Physostigmine potentiates significantly the dilation of the lingual artery but not that of the cerebral arteries. The potentiation is reversed by atropine. The endogenous acetylcholine level was measured in a series of vessels. It can be correlated with the activity of choline acetyltransferase and the presence of neurogenic dilation. It is proposed that there are two transmitters released in parallel from nerve(s) in the walls of cerebral, lingual, and possibly, other cranial arteries to cause vasodilation. It seems that one of these is acetylcholine.

Effects of guanethidine on histamine release during reflex vasodilatation in the dog

1 The effects of guanethidine pretreatment on the release of [14C]-histamine during the reflex vasodilatation induced in the atropinized gracilis muscle by rapid intravenous administration of noradrenaline, were studied in dogs. 2 After guanethidine treatment the haemodynamic reflex response was completely abolished and no appreciable modification of [14C]-histamine release from the gracilis muscle following intravenous noradrenaline was observed. 3 These results suggest the hypothesis that the withdrawal of the sympathetic discharge represents the mechanism of histamine release during the reflex vasodilatation. Therefore, guanethidine would suppress both the passive and the histaminergic component of the baroreceptor reflex through the abolition of the sympathetic tone.

Possible feed-back inhibition of noradrenaline release by purine compounds

The contractile responses to transmural stimulation of, and the overflow of tritium from the rat portal vein prelabelled with 3H-noradrenaline were studied. The contractile responses of the rat portal vein were sustained throughout the period of stimulation. The tension developed did not decline when two consecutive periods of stimulation were compared. In contrast, the tritium overflow decreased during the second period of stimulation. Preincubation with 3 micronM phenoxybenzamine during 30 min increased 3-fold the tritium overflow during stimulation. Phentolamine and phenoxybenzamine were nearly equipotent in reducing the vascular response to stimulation. In contrast, phentolamine was less potent than phenoxybenzamine in increasing the 3H-noradrenaline overflow elicited by stimulation. The results obtained with phentolamine are interpreted in terms of a different potency of phentolamine to produce blockade of prejunctional and postjunctional alpha-adrenoceptors in the rat portal vein. ATP inhibited by 70% the tritium overflow induced by stimulation. The potency of ATP in inhibiting the overflow increased when the prejunction alpha-adrenoceptors were blocked. The purine compounds ATP, ADP, AMP and adenosine were roughly equipotent in inhibiting stimulation-induced tritium overflow. The tritium released by stimulation decreased when uptake and metabolism of adenosine were inhibited. Under physiological conditions, a prejunctional purinergic inhibition of noradrenaline release might be involved in an endogenously mediated negative feed-back regulatory mechanism. It is possible that the purinergic inhibition of the noradrenaline liberation elicited by stimulation plays a physiological role in tissues with both purinergic and adrenergic innervation.

The cholinergic component in the reflex vasodilatation elicited by stimulation of the depressor nerves in the rabbit

1 The effects of the stimulation of the cephalic endings of the depressor nerve on the resistance in the perfused hindlimb were studied in the rabbit. 2 The vasodilatation thus elicited in the perfused hindlimb was reduced either by administration of guanethidine or by sympathectomy and abolished by subsequent treatment with atropine. 3 These data confirm the existence of two components in the genesis of the reflex vasodilatation: a passive component, due to the inhibition of sympathetic discharge, and an active component which in the rabbit is cholinergic in nature.

A vasodilator innervation to the central artery of the rabbit ear

1 The possibility of a vasodilator innervation to the isolated and perfused central artery of the rabbit ear was examined.2 Stimulation of the periarterial nerves in the presence of noradrenaline or other agonist used to maintain a partial constriction of the ear artery, led to a decrease in intraluminal flow followed after the cessation of stimulation by an increase in flow beyond the pre-stimulation level.3 After blockade of adrenergic transmission with bretylium or guanethidine or of the alpha- and beta-adrenoceptors with phentolamine and propranolol, stimulation of the periarterial nerves in the presence of a background tone, led to a clearly detectable vasodilation. This dilatation was not blocked by treatment with atropine or mepyramine; nor was it enhanced by physostigmine.4 Pretreatment of rabbits with reserpine (2 mg/kg) to deplete catecholamine stores, eliminated both the vasoconstrictor and vasodilator responses to nerve stimulation. However, a lower dose of reserpine (0.2 to 0.5 mg/kg) selectively eliminated the vasoconstrictor component of periarterial nerve activation.5 The ear artery dilated in response to low concentrations of prostaglandin E(1), and E(2), in the presence of noradrenaline, but treatment with inhibitors of prostaglandin synthesis, indomethacin, aspirin or eicosa-5,8,11,14-tetraynoic acid did not reduce the vasodilator response. Attempts to extract a prostaglandin in the bathing medium were unsuccessful.6 The involvement of a purine nucleotide appeared unlikely since the ear artery dilated only in response to fairly high concentrations of adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP), adenosine 5'-diphosphate (ADP) and adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP). Furthermore, dipyridamole, an inhibitor of adenosine uptake, enhanced dilation due to exogenous ATP but not to periarterial nerve stimulation.7 It is concluded that the central artery of the rabbit ear has a vasodilator innervation but the identity of the transmitter remains to be established.

Passive vasodilatation of the hind limb after sympathetic preganglionic stimulation

1. The post-vasoconstriction dilatation (PVCD) observed after release of carotid clamping has been attributed to baroreceptor stimulation. However, PVCD has been observed in baroreceptor deafferented animals following cessation of stimulation of the diencephalon or of chemoreceptor fibres.2. The effects of preganglionic (ventral roots) and post-ganglionic (sciatic nerve) stimulation upon the vascular resistance of the hind limb of anaesthetized cats and dogs was investigated. The limb was vascularly isolated and perfused at constant flow with the animal's own arterial blood. The animals were atropinized and neuromuscular block was obtained with gallamine triethiodide.3. PVCD was observed upon cessation of stimulation of intact preganglionic fibres or of their peripheral stump.4. PVCD was dependent upon the existence of neurogenic vasomotor tone in the vessels, but independent from baroreceptor influences.5. PVCD was never observed after cessation of stimulation of the post-ganglionic fibres.6. Similar results were obtained after removal of the skin of the perfused limb.7. The possibility that the post-vasoconstriction dilatation observed in these experiments is due to the existence of a preganglionic inhibitory system is discussed.

Dual vasoconstrictor and vasodilator innervation of the uterine arterial supply in the guinea pig

The innervation of the extrinsic uterine arterial supply of the guinea pig has been studied using an isolated perfused preparation. The preparation was normally at minimal tone and responded to periarterial stimulation by a vaso-constriction which was mimicked by norepinephrine and abolished by bretylium. Constrictor responses both to stimulation and to norepinephrine were similar in both pregnant and non-pregnant states. In pregnant preparations, raising the tone of the vessels with norepinephrine revealed a powerful dilator response to periarterial stimulation. This response was mimicked by acetylcholine, potentiated by anticholinesterases, reduced by hyoscine, and abolished by-local anesthetic treatment. In contrast, virgin preparations showed only a weak dilator response to stimulation, while the response to acetylcholine even at high concentrations was usually negligible. Histochemical examination of the vessels revealed a dense plexus of fine nerve fibers exhibiting high acetylcholinesterase activity along the main uterine artery. The fibers lay in close apposition to the vascular muscle layer. Nerve fibers exhibited fluorescence for catecholamines were also abundant, but were distributed along the secondary as well as the main arteries. It is concluded that the uterine arterial supply of the guinea pig is innervated by both adrenergic constrictor and cholinergic dilator fibers. The dilator fibers appear to be functional only during pregnancy. The possibility of a noncholinergic dilator innervation is also discussed.

Mechanisms of reflex vasodilation: assessment of the role of neural reuptake of norepinephrine and release of histamine

The mechanisms of reflex vasodilation were studied in an innervated canine hindlimb preparation which was perfused at a constant rate. Reflex vasodilation was produced by suddenly increasing the pressure in the trunk by the intravenous injection of norepinephrine, with consequent stimulation of the baroreceptors. When the basal vasoconstrictor tone exerted by the sympathetic nervous system on the systemic arterial bed was minimized, either by pretreatment with the alpha adrenergic blocking agent phenoxybenzamine or with reserpine, which depletes endogenous catecholamine stores, reflex vasodilation was virtually abolished. Administration of cocaine, a drug which blocks reuptake of norepinephrine by the nerve terminals, significantly reduced reflex vasodilation, the response after cocaine averaging 47% of the vasodilator response in the control period. Cocaine also potentiated the vasoconstriction caused by intra-arterially administered norepinephrine but attenuated the vasoconstriction induced by tyramine. The antihistamine, tripelennamine, had effects similar to those of cocaine. It is suggested, therefore, that reflex vasodilation results from a sudden decrease in the level of norepinephrine at the neuroeffector junction, which is a consequence of the cessation of norepinephrine secretion, together with continued and possibly augmented uptake. When the uptake mechanism is impaired, either by the administration of cocaine or tripelennamine, the magnitude of reflex vasodilation is diminished. It does not appear necessary to postulate active secretion of a vasodilator substance to account for reflex vasodilation.

Reflex inhibition of sympathetic vasoconstrictor activity at a peripheral locus

Section of the lumbar sympathetic chain just proximal to a stimulating electrode most often results in a large increase in the neurogenic constrictor response to stimulation. The increase could not be accounted for by removal of sympathetic discharge present before section, or by an increase in vascular sensitivity to either exogenous or neurogenically released adrenergic amine. The increased neurogenic constriction is attributed to the removal of an inhibition present before nerve section. The inhibitory fibers are distributed over the classic sympathetic outflow and take origin at least in part at a supraspinal level. The inhibition is lost or markedly reduced by hypotension, spinal cord section, spinal anesthesia, section of the preganglionic sympathetics, or by section of the sinus and vagus nerves. The inhibition, lost by sinus and vagus nerve section or by induction of hypotension, can be restored by stimulation of the central ends of the cut nerves and by replacement of blood, respectively. It is concluded that the conventional pressoreceptor reflexes act to inhibit vasoconstrictor tone, at least in part, at a site in the vasoconstrictor pathway peripheral to the spinal cord.