title: Myocardial synthesis of prostaglandin-like substances and coronary reactions to cardiostimulation and to hypoxia.
abstract: 1 Continuous recording of cardiac contractions and coronary flow from isolated perfused hearts of rats permitted the study of coronary reactions to: (a) cardiostimulation induced by single doses or slow infusions of noradrenaline, CaCl2, glucagon or electrically induced tachycardia; (b) short interruptions of coronary inflow (hypoxia). 2 Except during tachycardia the heart rate was kept constant at 210 beats/min by electrical pacing. 3 Metabolic coronary vasodilatation (MCD) resulting from cardiac hyperactivity induced by noradrenaline, Ca2+, tachycardia or glucagon was inhibited by administration of prostaglandin E2. Reactive hyperaemia response to hypoxia was unaffected by prostaglandin administration. 4 Inhibition of MCD could also be obtained by prolonged infusion with arachidonic acid (1.6 X 10(-7) M), presumably by its conversion into prostaglandin-like substance since arachidonic acid failed to block MCD in hearts from rats pretreated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (indomethacin, naproxen, phenylbutazone). 5 Reactive hyperaemia was unaffected either by arachidonic acid or by blockade of the synthesis of prostaglandin-like substances by anti-inflammatory drugs. 6 Since prostaglandin synthetase inhibition does not prevent but may enhance MCD, we do not advocate prostaglandin-like substances as agents directly responsible for the coronary vasodilatation that follows cardiac hyperactivity. 7 We postulate that cardiac overproduction of prostaglandins may lead to a failure in the adaptive coronary flow response to cardiac hyperactivity (coronary insufficiency?).
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001095:Arachidonic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D002122:Calcium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D011453:Prostaglandins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011458:Prostaglandins E / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001095:Arachidonic Acids; D011453:Prostaglandins; D011458:Prostaglandins E; D002122:Calcium Chloride