The role of endothelium in the phenylephrine-induced oscillatory responses of rabbit mesenteric arteries

Role of Pericytes in the Initiation and Propagation of Spontaneous Activity in the Microvasculature

The microvasculature is composed of arterioles, capillaries and venules. Spontaneous arteriolar constrictions reduce effective vascular resistance to enhance tissue perfusion, while spontaneous venular constrictions facilitate the drainage of tissue metabolites by pumping blood. In the venules of visceral organs, mural cells, i.e. smooth muscle cells (SMCs) or pericytes, periodically generate spontaneous phasic constrictions, Ca²⁺ transients and transient depolarisations. These events arise from spontaneous Ca²⁺ release from the sarco-endoplasmic reticulum (SR/ER) and the subsequent opening of Ca²⁺-activated chloride channels (CaCCs). CaCC-dependent depolarisation further activates L-type voltage-dependent Ca²⁺ channels (LVDCCs) that play a critical role in maintaining the synchrony amongst mural cells. Mural cells in arterioles or capillaries are also capable of developing spontaneous activity. Non-contractile capillary pericytes generate spontaneous Ca²⁺ transients primarily relying on SR/ER Ca²⁺ release. Synchrony amongst capillary pericytes depends on gap junction-mediated spread of depolarisations resulting from the opening of either CaCCs or T-type VDCCs (TVDCCs) in a microvascular bed-dependent manner. The propagation of capillary Ca²⁺ transients into arterioles requires the opening of either L- or TVDCCs again depending on the microvascular bed. Since the blockade of gap junctions or CaCCs prevents spontaneous Ca²⁺ transients in arterioles and venules but not capillaries, capillary pericytes appear to play a primary role in generating spontaneous activity of the microvasculature unit. Pericytes in capillaries where the interchange of substances between tissues and the circulation takes place may provide the fundamental drive for upstream arterioles and downstream venules so that the microvasculature network functions as an integrated unit.

Endothelium-dependent rhythmic contractions induced by cyclopiazonic acid, a sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-pump inhibitor, in the rabbit femoral artery

The vascular responses to cyclopiazonic acid (CPA), an inhibitor of the Ca(2+)-ATPase in the sarcoplasmic reticulum, were investigated in the rabbit femoral artery, suspended in an organ chamber for isometric tension recordings. CPA produced rhythmic contractions in the femoral artery which had been contracted with phenylephrine. CPA, however, did not induce the rhythmic responses in endothelium-denuded arteries. NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester and methylene blue, inhibitors of the formation and the action of nitric oxide, respectively, failed to antagonize the CPA-induced rhythmic contractions in the phenylephrine-contracted artery. In contrast, the CPA-induced rhythmic contractions were abolished by charybdotoxin, a Ca(2+)-activated K+ channel antagonist, but not by glibenclamide, a blocker of the ATP-sensitive K+ channel. Nifedipine also inhibited the CPA-induced rhythmic contractions in the endothelium-intact artery and relaxed the endothelium-denuded artery treated with CPA. These results indicate that the CPA-induced rhythmic contractions in the phenylephrine-contracted rabbit femoral artery may be attributed to the periodic inactivation of the voltage-dependent Ca2+ channel, presumably regulated by the Ca(2+)-activated K+ channel. The activation of the K+ channel by CPA might occur only when the endothelium is present.

Endothelium-dependent noradrenaline-induced relaxation of rat isolated cerebral arteries: pharmacological characterization of receptor subtypes involved

1. The endothelium-dependence of catecholamine-induced relaxation of rat cerebral arteries was investigated in vitro. 2. In the basilar artery (BA), the maximal relaxant response was most pronounced with noradrenaline (NA), less with isoprenaline (Iso), and only very little with terbutaline. Methoxamine and the alpha 2-adrenoceptor selective agonists BHT 933 and clonidine, had no relaxant effect. 3. In BA, the relaxation by NA or Iso was markedly attenuated by N omega-nitro-L-arginine (L-NOARG) 10(-4) M. Short term perfusion of the vessels by Triton X 100 (1:1,000) suppressed the NA-induced relaxation. 4. The relaxation induced by NA or Iso was markedly reduced in presence of L-NOARG in the posterior, medial and anterior cerebral artery. 5. In BA, NA-induced relaxation was non-competitively inhibited by propranolol, atenolol, and the beta 1- and beta 2-adrenoceptor selective antagonists, CGP 20712 A and ICI 118551. 6. The relaxant NA-effect was not affected by prazosin but was non-competitively blocked by phentolamine. 7. The Iso-induced relaxation was competitively blocked by propranolol, whereas atenolol, CGP 20712 A and ICI 118551 caused a non-competitive inhibition. 8. The experiments indicate that the catecholamine-induced relaxation in rat isolated cerebral arteries depends upon the endothelium. They suggest that the NA-induced relaxation of BA is mediated by different alpha- and beta-adrenoceptors and that the Iso-induced relaxation is mediated by different beta-receptors. The findings would also be compatible with the idea of a receptor type which cannot be characterized by the pharmacological tools that we have used.

Simultaneous oscillations in the membrane potential of pig coronary artery endothelial and smooth muscle cells

1. The effects of tetrabutylammonium (TBA) on the mechanical tension and on the electrical behaviour of endothelial and smooth muscle cells were studied in intact porcine coronary artery strips. 2. Superfusion of strips with TBA (2-20 mM) induced mechanical oscillations, leading to an increase in tonic isometric tension. 3. TBA-induced mechanical oscillations were correlated with fluctuations of the membrane potential of endothelial cells, which were identified by iontophoretic injection of Lucifer Yellow. 4. The endothelial cell membrane potential fluctuations appeared as action potentials or smaller amplitude slow waves, and were synchronized with electrical membrane potential fluctuations of the underlying coronary smooth muscle cells. 5. Oscillations induced by TBA in smooth muscle cells were not affected by removal of the endothelium, and depended on the presence of calcium in the external medium. 6. To our knowledge, this is the first description of action potential-like fluctuations in the endothelium. It is concluded that the oscillations were generated in the smooth muscle and that they propagate to the endothelium. The question of the mode of propagation of the signal is discussed.

The role of sarcoplasmic reticulum in endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent rhythmic contractions in the rabbit mesenteric artery

Upon stimulation with phenylephrine, the rabbit mesenteric artery displays endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent rhythmic contractions in the absence and the presence of ryanodine, respectively. For examination of the involvement of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) in these two types of rhythmic contractions, the mesenteric ring was suspended in an organ chamber for isometric tension recordings. Phenylephrine induced endothelium-dependent rhythmic contractions (EDRC), which were converted to endothelium-independent rhythmic contractions (EIRC) by the subsequent addition of ryanodine. Cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) also induced EIRC in the artery contracted with phenylephrine. The nifedipine-treated artery displayed neither EDRC upon phenylephrine stimulation nor EIRC by the addition of ryanodine or CPA: however, these agents relaxed the arteries. Phenylephrine induced EDRC in the artery treated with the K+ channel antagonist sparteine, but these rhythmic contractions were converted to a sustained contraction by ryanodine and CPA without producing relaxation of the artery. Ryanodine and CPA inhibited both phenylephrine-induced Ca2+ release from the SR and Ca2+ sequestration, without affecting Ca2+ influx across the plasmalemma, evaluated by monitoring agonist-induced contractions. These findings indicate that: (1) the EDRC may be attributed to Ca2+ release from the SR, which may be charged by Ca2+ influx via the voltage-dependent Ca2+ channel; and (2) the EIRC may arise from functional impairment of the SR and by the subsequent increase in the K+ efflux, presumably via the Ca(2+)-activated K+ channel.