title: Progesterone induces endothelium-independent relaxation of rabbit coronary artery in vitro.
abstract: The effect of progesterone on isolated rabbit coronary arteries and its possible mechanism was investigated by measuring changes of isometric tension. Progesterone (1, 3, 10 and 30 microM) induced significant coronary relaxation in K+ (30 mM)-, prostaglandin F2 alpha (3 microM)- or Bay K 8644 (1 microM plus 15 mM K+)- precontracted arteries. There was no difference between endothelium-intact and -denuded coronary arteries from both male and female rabbits, precontracted with these three agents. Haemoglobin, indomethacin, methylene blue, glibenclamide or barium chloride did not affect the relaxation. In endothelium-denuded rabbit coronary arteries, progesterone shifted calcium concentration-dependent constrictor-response curves to the right, the maximal contraction was also reduced. The -log ED50s were 3.6 in control, and 3.3 and 2.9 after incubation with progesterone (3 and 30 microM), respectively. Similar results were obtained in rat aorta. We conclude that progesterone induces significant endothelium-independent relaxation in rabbit coronary arteries in vitro, possibly by affecting calcium influx.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Medicine, National Heart and Lung Institute, University of London, U.K.
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Sarrel
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Lindsay
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Poole-Wilson
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Collins
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000187:drug effects; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000187:drug effects; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000187:drug effects; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000502:physiology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000187:drug effects; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects*; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000187:drug effects; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D015220:Calcium Channels; D015221:Potassium Channels; D011374:Progesterone; D006152:Cyclic GMP