The in vitro action of polyamines on rat basilar and femoral artery contractile activity

Abstract

This study was performed to assess the role of exogenously administered polyamines on rat basilar and femoral artery contractile activity in vitro. With the endothelium removed, rings of tissue were set up in organ chambers to measure isometric tension. The polyamines (0.1–3mM), putrescine, spermidine, and spermine, were added to the tissue baths; after 30 min of incubation a cumulative concentration response curve (CRC) was obtained with either KCl or serotonin (5-HT). Additional CRCs were run with Ca ++ in high K + Krebs (60mM). In both tissues, the CRCs to KCl were shifted to the right in a dose-dependent manner for spermidine and spermine (1 & 3 mM) but not putrescine. Spermine (3mM) depressed the KCl maxima by 18.6% and 10.1% in the basilar and femoral artery respectively. For 5-HT CRCs, only spermine (3mM) slightly inhibited the maximal response in both tissues. The most potent action of spermine was on inhibition of Ca ++ responses in high K +where the EC 50s were shifted 3.5 and 10 fold over control values in the basilar and femoral respectively. We conclude spermidine and spermine, but not putrescine, attenuate vascular smooth muscle contractions on the basilar and femoral arteries in vitro. The exact nature of the inhibition remains to be fully explored, but blockade of calcium entry through voltage operated Ca channels may play a role. Thus, certain polyamines may affect cerebral perfusion by inhibition of vascular contractility.