Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats Femoral Artery Research Articles

Potent vasoconstrictor actions of cyclopiazonic acid and thapsigargin on femoral arteries from spontaneously hypertensive rats.

1. Ca2+ buffering function of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) in the resting state of arteries from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) was examined. Differences in the effects of cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) and thapsigargin, agents which inhibit the Ca(2+)-ATPase of SR, on tension and cellular Ca2+ level were assessed in endothelium-denuded strips of femoral arteries from 13-week-old SHR and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). 2. In resting strips preloaded with fura-PE3, the addition of CPA (10 microM) or thapsigargin (100 nM) caused an elevation of cytosolic Ca2+ level ([Ca2+]i) and a contraction. These responses were significantly greater in SHR than in WKY. 3. The additional of verapamil (3 microM) to the resting strips caused a decrease in resting [Ca2+]i, which was significantly greater in SHR than in WKY. In SHR, but not in WKY, this decrease was accompanied by a relaxation from the resting tone, suggesting the maintenance of myogenic tone in the SHR artery. 4. Verapamil (3 microM) abolished differences between SHR and WKY. The effects of verapamil were much greater on the contraction than on the [Ca2+]i. 5. The resting of Ca2+ influx in arteries measured after a 5 min incubation of the artery with 45Ca was not increased by CPA or thapsigargin in either SHR or WKY. The net Ca2+ entry measured after a 30 min incubation of the artery with 45Ca was decreased by CPA or thapsigargin in both SHR and WKY. The resting Ca2+ influx was significantly higher in SHR than in WKY, and was decreased by nifedipine (100 nM) in the SHR artery, but was unchanged in the WKY artery. 6. The resting 45Ca efflux from the artery was increased during the addition of CPA (10 microM). This increase was less in SHR than in WKY. The resting 45Ca efflux was the same in SHR and WKY. 7. These results suggest that (1) the Ca2+ influx via L-type voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels (VDCCs) was increased in the resting state of the SHR femoral artery, (2) the greater part of the increased Ca2+ influx was buffered by Ca2+ uptake into the SR and some Ca2+ reached the myofilaments resulting in the maintenance of the myogenic tone, and (3) therefore the functional elimination of SR by CPA or thapsigargin caused a large elevation of [Ca2+]i and a potent contraction in this artery. During this process, the contraction was mainly due to the basal Ca2+ influx via L-type VDCCs. The present study also showed the existence of a relatively large compartment of [Ca2+]i which does not contribute to the contraction during the addition of CPA or thapsigargin.

Possible mechanism of the potent vasoconstrictor actions of ryanodine on femoral arteries from spontaneously hypertensive rats.

1. The Ca2+ buffering function of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) in the resting state of arteries from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) was examined. Differences in the effects of ryanodine that removes the function of SR, on tension and cellular Ca2+ level were assessed in endothelium-denuded strips of femoral arteries from 13-week-old SHR and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). 2. The addition of ryanodine to the resting strips caused a concentration-dependent contraction in SHR. This contraction was extremely small in WKY. In the presence of 10(-5) M ryanodine, caffeine (20 mM) failed to cause a further contraction in SHR, but it caused a small contraction in WKY. After washout of the strips with a Krebs solution, the resting tone was greatly elevated in SHR when compared with WKY. 3. The elevated resting tone in SHR strips was abolished by 10(-7) M nifedipine. The ryanodine-induced contraction was also abolished by 10(-7) M nifedipine. Nifedipine itself caused a relaxation from the resting tone of SHR strips, suggesting the maintenance of myogenic tone. 4. In strips preloaded with fura-PE3, the addition of 10(-5) M ryanodine caused a large and moderate elevation of cytosolic Ca2+ level ([Ca2+]i) in SHR and WKY, respectively. After washout, the resting [Ca2+]i was greatly elevated in SHR. The ryanodine-induced elevation of [Ca2+]i was decreased by 5 x 10(-6) M verapamil in SHR. Verapamil itself caused a decrease in resting [Ca2+]i which was significantly greater in SHR than in WKY, and caused a relaxation only in SHR. 5. The resting Ca2+ influx in arteries measured by a 5 min incubation with 45Ca was significantly increased in SHR when compared with WKY. The resting Ca2+ influx was not increased by 10(-5) M ryanodine in both SHR and WKY. The net cellular Ca2+ uptake in arteries measured by a 30 min incubation with 45Ca was decreased by 10(-5) M ryanodine in both strains. 6. The resting Ca2+ influx was decreased by 10(-7) M nifedipine in the SHR artery, but it was unchanged in the WKY artery. 7. These results suggest that (1) the Ca2+ influx via L-type voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels was increased in the resting state of the SHR femoral artery, (2) the greater part of the increased Ca2+ influx was buffered by Ca2+ uptake into the SR and some Ca2+ reached the myofilaments resulting in the maintenance of the myogenic tone, and (3) therefore the functional removal of SR by ryanodine caused a potent contraction in this artery.

Alpha1-Adrenoceptor subtypes mediating the contraction of arteries in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

1. This study was undertaken to determine which alpha1-adrenoceptor (AR) subtypes were involved in the activation of the femoral artery and the aorta by norepinephrine (NE) in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). 2. Negative log EC50 values and maximum responses of NE-induced contraction of the SHR femoral artery were unchanged and increased, respectively, compared with those of Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. 3. Contractile responses of the SHR aortas to NE were similar to those of the normotensive tissues. 4. Schild plot data for alpha1-AR antagonists indicated that alpha1-AR in the aorta were predominantly alpha1H subtype. In the femoral artery, because Schild plots for bunazosin had slopes of less than 1.0, there were alpha1H (or alpha1C) and alpha1L subtypes. 5. The alpha1-AR subtype in the aorta was essentially identical to the alpha1H subtype in the femoral artery. alpha1-AR subtypes mediating contraction in the SHR blood vessels were identical to those in the WKY tissues.

α1-Adrenoceptor subtypes mediating contraction of the femoral artery in spontaneously hypertensive rats

alpha 1-Adrenoceptors (ARs) were divided into alpha 1H and alpha 1L subtypes by their different affinities for bunazosin or prazosin. alpha 1H-ARs were further subdivided into alpha 1A, alpha 1B, and alpha 1C subtypes. Therefore, this study was undertaken to determine which alpha 1-AR subtypes were involved in the activation of femoral artery preparations by alpha 1-AR agonists in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). For comparison, aortic strips were also incorporated in the present study. In the presence of propranolol, deoxycorticosterone, and desipramine, norepinephrine (NE) contracted the vascular strips in a dose-dependent manner. Negative log EC50 values and maximum responses of NE-induced contraction of the SHR femoral artery were unchanged and increased, respectively, compared with those of Sprague-Dawley and Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). Contractile responses of the SHR aortae to NE were similar to those of the normotensive tissues. Schild plot data for alpha 1-AR antagonists indicated that alpha 1-AR subtypes mediating contraction of the aorta were homogeneous and had high affinities for bunazosin (pA2 9.4, alpha 1H subtype) and WB 4101 (pA2 9.3) and a low affinity for 5-methylurapidil (pA2 7.7). In the femoral artery, because Schild plots for bunazosin had slopes of less than 1.0, there were alpha 1H and alpha 1L subtypes. Bunazosin, at 10(-9) M, which could mask the alpha 1H subtype, yielded a Schild plot for bunazosin with a slope not different from unity and decreased the pA2 value for bunazosin (pA2 9.4 vs. 8.5).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Differences in inositol phosphate production in blood vessels of normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats

1. Total inositol phosphate formation was measured in labelled femoral and iliac arteries and veins of 14 week-old spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and age-matched Wistar Kyoto (WKY) controls, either unstimulated or in the presence of noradrenaline. 2. Basal levels of [3H]-inositol phosphates and [3H]-phosphatidylinositol were significantly enhanced in SHR femoral artery, but not in the other 3 vessels, compared with WKY. 3. Noradrenaline stimulated phosphoinositide hydrolysis in all four vessels of SHR and WKY. Pretreatment with prazosin (10(-7)-10(-6) M) but not with yohimbine (10(-7) M), inhibited the noradrenaline-induced inositol phosphate formation indicating an alpha 1-adrenoceptor-mediated response. 4. In the femoral artery of SHR compared to WKY, [3H]-inositol phosphate accumulation induced by noradrenaline (10(-7)-10(-5) M) was significantly reduced when expressed relative to basal values although the response to higher concentrations (10(-4)-10(-3) M) was not altered. In contrast, a significant reduction of inositol phosphates was seen only with 10(-7) M noradrenaline when absolute values were compared. In the other three vessels, no difference in noradrenaline-induced [3H]-inositol phosphate formation was observed between strains. 5. These data suggest that phosphoinositide hydrolysis-mediated by alpha 1-adrenoceptors may be reduced in some but not all blood vessels of adult SHR.

Decreased responsiveness to beta-adrenoceptor agonists in arterial strips from spontaneously hypertensive rats is not associated with alterations in beta-adrenoceptors.

Beta-adrenoceptors in femoral and mesenteric arteries from 13-week-old spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats were studied using radioligand binding assays and were compared with in vitro measurements of beta-adrenoceptor-mediated relaxation. The relaxant responses to noradrenaline via beta-adrenoceptors were significantly decreased in the SHR femoral artery when compared with the WKY femoral artery. However, under the same conditions, arterial relaxant responses to forskolin, an activator of adenylate cyclase, were not significantly different between SHR and WKY rats. Specific binding of 125I-iodocyanopindolol to membranes prepared from femoral arteries of SHR and WKY rats was saturable and of high affinity. Neither the equilibrium dissociation constant of 125I-iodocyanopindolol, nor the maximum number of binding sites were significantly different between SHR and WKY rats. Similar results were obtained in the case of mesenteric arteries from SHR and WKY rats. These results indicate that the decreased responsiveness to beta-adrenoceptor stimulation in SHR arteries is not associated with alterations in beta-adrenoceptors and further support the hypothesis that a reduced function of the stimulatory guanosine triphosphate-binding protein is responsible for the decreased responsiveness to a variety of receptor agonists whose mechanism of action involves adenylate cyclase activation.

Decreased arterial responsiveness to multiple cyclic AMP‐generating receptor agonists in spontaneously hypertensive rats

1. Arterial relaxant responses via beta-adrenoceptors are decreased in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) when compared with normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). Recent studies from this laboratory proposed that a reduced function of stimulatory guanosine 5'-triphosphate (GTP)-binding protein (Gs) is responsible for the decreased beta-adrenoceptor responsiveness in the SHR femoral artery. Since the Gs is common to all tissues, as opposed to receptors, which are tissue specific, the reduced function of Gs should lead to resistance to multiple receptors that act by activating adenylate cyclase (AC). To test this hypothesis, relaxant responses via beta-adrenoceptors, A2-adenosine, H2-histamine and D1-dopamine receptors were compared between arterial strips from 13 week-old WKY and age-matched SHR. 2. The relaxant responses to noradrenaline (NA) via beta-adrenoceptors in femoral, mesenteric, renal and carotid arteries were significantly decreased in the SHR, when compared with the respective arteries from WKY. 3. However, under the same conditions arterial relaxant responses to forskolin, an activator of AC, were not significantly different between the WKY and SHR. 4. The relaxant responses due to activation of A2-adenosine. H2-histamine and D1-dopamine receptors were significantly decreased in the SHR arteries. 5. Nitroprusside and nifedipine, agents which are independent of the Gs.AC system, produced similar arterial relaxations in the WKY and SHR. 6. These results support the hypothesis that a reduced function of Gs in the SHR is responsible for the decreased arterial responsiveness to a variety of receptor agonists whose mechanism of action involves AC activation.

Role of stimulatory GTP‐binding protein (Gs) in reduced β‐adrenoceptor coupling in the femoral artery of spontaneously hypertensive rats

1. Arterial relaxant responses to beta-adrenoceptor agonists are decreased in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) when compared with normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). To establish which component of the beta-adrenoceptor.adenylate cyclase (AC) system is impaired in the SHR arteries, effects of two activators of AC--cholera toxin (CTX) and forskolin--and of dibutyryl cyclic AMP (db cyclic AMP) were compared between strips of femoral arteries isolated from 13 week-old SHR and age-matched WKY. 2. In the absence of timolol, a beta-adrenoceptor antagonist, contractile responses of the strips to noradrenaline (NA) were significantly greater in the SHR than in the WKY. Timolol augmented the contractile responses to NA to a smaller extent in the SHR than in the WKY. 3. After blockade by timolol of beta-adrenoceptors, contractile responses of the strips to NA through the activation of alpha-adrenoceptors were not significantly different between the two strains. 4. Pre-treatment of the strips with CTX, an activator of the stimulatory GTP-binding protein (Gs), produced a slow-onset and long-lived antagonism of the alpha-adrenoceptor-mediated contractions. The antagonism was much smaller in the SHR than in the WKY. 5. The dose-response curves of the strips from both strains for alpha-adrenoceptor stimulation with NA determined after pretreatment with CTX were comparable to those determined in the absence of timolol. 6. Forskolin, an activator of the catalytic subunit of AC, and DB cyclic AMP also antagonized the alpha-adrenoceptor-mediated contractions. However, these antagonisms were not significantly different between the two strains. 7. Isobutyl methylxanthine (IBMX), an inhibitor of cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase, produced a similar antagonism of the alpha-adrenoceptor-mediated contractions between the two strains. 8. These results suggest that a reduced function of Gs is the main factor responsible for the decreased responsiveness to beta-adrenoceptor stimulation in the SHR femoral artery.

Antagonism of α1-Adrenoceptor-Mediated Vascular Contraction by Urapidil in Isolated Arterial Strips of Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

Antagonism of alpha 1-adrenoceptor-mediated vascular contraction by urapidil was examined in helical strips of femoral and mesenteric arteries isolated from 13-week-old Aoki spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and age-matched normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats, since this agent has antihypertensive effect through antagonizing peripheral alpha-adrenoceptors. Schild plot analyses clearly demonstrated the existence of only alpha 1-adrenoceptors in these arteries from both strains. Therefore, it is possible to demonstrate alpha 1-adrenoceptor blocking effects of nonselective alpha-adrenoceptor antagonists as well as selective alpha 1-adrenoceptor antagonists. Urapidil antagonized the alpha 1-adrenoceptor-mediated vascular contraction in a competitive fashion. The pA2 value for urapidil against alpha 1-adrenoceptors was not significantly different between SHR and WKY rats. The addition of 10(-5) M norepinephrine (NE) produced a sustained contraction in a SHR femoral artery, whereas in a WKY rat femoral artery this agonist produced a transient contraction followed by a sustained relaxation. Urapidil elicited a dose-dependent relaxation with a IC50 value of 6.50 in the SHR femoral artery precontracted with NE. In the presence of 3 x 10(-7) M timolol, a beta-adrenoceptor antagonist, femoral arteries from both strains exhibited similar magnitude of contraction in response to the stimulation with 10(-5) M NE. Under these conditions, urapidil elicited a similar extent of relaxation between SHR and WKY rats. On the other hand, the addition of 10(-5) M NE produced a sustained contraction in mesenteric arteries from both SHR and WKY rats. The contraction expressed as a ratio to the maximum developed by KCl depolarization was significantly greater in SHR than in WKY rats. In these arteries, the relaxing effect of urapidil was more evident in SHR than in WKY rats. Contractile responses to NE and relaxing effects of urapidil were not affected by timolol. These results suggest that urapidil effectively antagonized enhanced alpha 1-adrenoceptor responses seen in SHR arteries.

Effects of Bay K 8644 and nifedipine on femoral arteries of spontaneously hypertensive rats

Vasoconstrictor effects of Bay K 8644 (an agonist known to increase Ca2+ influx through the voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels) on femoral arteries of 6 week old spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were investigated, and data compared with findings in age-matched normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). The addition of Bay K 8644 (1 X 10(-10)-3 X 10(-7) M) elicited a dose-dependent contraction in SHR femoral artery in the absence of any contractile agent. Maximum contraction induced by this agonist was the same as the maximum induced by either K+-depolarization or alpha-adrenoceptor stimulation. Bay K 8644 was less effective in eliciting a contraction in the WKY femoral artery. Increased sensitivity to K+ was also observed in the SHR femoral artery. In contrast, contractions in response to alpha-adrenoceptor stimulation were the same in the SHR as those in the WKY. The addition of nifedipine, a Ca2+ channel antagonist, to an unstimulated preparation produced a dose-dependent relaxation in femoral arteries from SHR, but not from WKY. When the arteries were contracted with 60 mM K+, nifedipine produced similar relaxations in the SHR as those in the WKY, suggesting that the Ca2+ channels in the SHR femoral arteries are more activated than those in the WKY femoral arteries. Contractile responses to SHR femoral arteries to Bay K 8644 were antagonized competitively by nifedipine. Contractile responses to Ca2+ determined in K+-depolarized strips were also antagonized competitively by nifedipine. However, Schild plot analysis demonstrated a different pA2 value for nifedipine, suggesting that there may be a difference in the state of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels in SHR femoral artery between the stimulation with Bay K 8644 and K+-depolarization.

Role of endothelium in dilator responses of spontaneously hypertensive rat arteries.

The possible role of endothelium in the vascular responses to vasodilator drugs was studied in relation to experimental hypertension. Short ring segments of the thoracic aorta and femoral artery were removed from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. They were rubbed on the intimal surface to destruct endothelial cells or unrubbed, and bathed in Krebs-bicarbonate solution for isometric recording of contractile and relaxant responses. The relaxant response to acetylcholine was abolished by rubbing all arteries tested. Rubbing also significantly attenuated the relaxation induced by adenosine in the SHR aorta and SHR and WKY femoral artery, and attenuated the relaxation by isoproterenol in the SHR femoral artery. In contrast, contractile response to norepinephrine was augmented by intimal surface rubbing in all arteries except the aorta of WKY. It is suggested that an endothelial compensatory mechanism develops to offset the diminished relaxant and/or increased contractile responsiveness of smooth muscle cells in the hypertensive rat arteries.