title: Effects of endothelin on microcirculation of the pancreas.
abstract: Endothelin, a newly described endothelial-derived peptide, has potent vasoconstrictive properties and has been speculated to play a physiological role in the regulation of blood flow in some organs. The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of endothelin-1, endothelin-2 and endothelin-3 on the pancreatic microcirculation. Pancreatic tissue blood flow was measured by a laser Doppler flow meter in anesthetized dogs and endothelin-1, endothelin-2 or endothelin-3 was injected intravenously in graduated doses. Endothelins induced dose-dependent decreases in pancreatic tissue blood flow. Endothelin-1, endothelin-2 and endothelin-3 at a dose of 100 pmol/kg reduced pancreatic blood flow by 45.4%, 19.6% and 51.9%, respectively, whereas systemic arterial blood pressure was not significantly affected. When endothelin-3 was administered at a dose of 1000 pmol/kg, pancreatic blood flow was decreased by 73.5% with a concomitant increase of systemic arterial blood pressure by 17.6%. Endothelins potently decreased pancreatic tissue blood flow, suggesting a possible role of these agents in regulating the pancreatic microcirculation.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takaori
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kogire
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Higashide
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tun
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aung
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Doi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tobe
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D004285:Dogs; D016232:Endothelins / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000502:physiology; D010179:Pancreas / Q000098:blood supply*; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D016232:Endothelins