Rubanyi, Gabor M.

Experiments were conducted in a bioassay system, where a canine coronary artery ring without endothelium (bioassay tissue) was superfused by the effluent from a perfused canine carotid artery segment with endothelium (donor segment). A rapid increase in transmural pressure (from near 0 to 32-38 mmHg) triggered active contraction of the donor segment and simultaneously of the bioassay tissue. These contractions were prevented by removal of the endothelium from the donor segment but not by treatment of the segment with indomethacin. Exposure to elevated pressure depressed basal, acetylcholine-, and flow-induced release of endothelium-derived relaxing factor(s). Methylene blue prevented the pressure-induced contraction of the bioassay ring. These data show that pressure-induced contraction of isolated carotid arteries is endothelium dependent and is mediated by the depression of the synthesis and/or release of endothelium-derived relaxing factor(s).

Experiments were designed in a bioassay system to analyze the effect of elevated (from 5.9 mM to 7.5-45.9 mM) extracellular K+ concentration on the release of endothelium-derived relaxing factor. Segments of canine femoral artery with endothelium (donor segment) were mounted in an organ bath and perfused with modified Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate solution; the effluent from the donor segment was used to superfuse a canine coronary artery ring without endothelium (bioassay tissue). Elevation of perfusate K+ concentration by 1.6-15 mM by intraluminal infusion of potassium chloride upstream of the donor segment evoked further contractions of bioassay rings contracted with prostaglandin F2 alpha. In contrast, the bioassay rings progressively relaxed when increasing concentrations of potassium chloride (10-40 mM) were added extraluminally to the organ bath where the perfused segment was mounted. Extraluminal application of phenylephrine or prostaglandin F2 alpha did not evoke relaxations in the bioassay ring. Removal of the endothelium from the donor segment or selective exposure of the segment (but not the bioassay ring) to Ca2+-deficient solution prevented the K+-induced relaxations. Treatment of the donor segment and the bioassay ring with inhibitors of known endogenous vasoactive substances (acetylcholine, norepinephrine, adenine nucleotides, and prostanoids) had no significant effect on the relaxation of the bioassay ring evoked by extraluminal application of potassium chloride. Simultaneous measurements of changes in isometric force in the donor segment and bioassay ring revealed that extraluminal elevation of K+ concentration relaxed the segments as well and that the relaxations could not be prevented by simultaneous intraluminal infusion of potassium chloride.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)