title: Low doses of endothelin-3 elicit endothelium dependent vasodilation which accompanies with elevation of cyclic GMP.
abstract: Low doses (10(-16)-10(-10) M) of endothelin-3 (ET-3) elicited continuous vasodilations of mesenteric arteries preconstricted with norepinephrine (NE) but not with KCl. In arteries perfused with Ca2+ free solution, ET-3 did not affect the perfusion pressure. In endothelium-denuded arteries preconstricted with NE, ET-3 significantly elevated the perfusion pressure in a dose-related manner. The levels of cyclic GMP and cyclic AMP from the intact arteries were significantly elevated by ET-3; the cyclic GMP elevasion disappeared with methylene blue. Following endothelium-denudation, cyclic GMP elevation was abolished, but cyclic AMP elevation was unaffected. Levels of 6-Keto-PGF1 alpha in the arteries were not changed appreciably by ET-3. These data indicate that the vasodilating effects of ET-3 depend on the presence of extracellular Ca2+ and the existence of endothelium. They are accompanied by elevations of cyclic nucleotides and the elevation of cyclic GMP depends on the endothelium. It is possible that the vasodilating effects of low doses of ET-3 are associated with endothelium-derived relaxing factor.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soma
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Izumi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Minato
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hatano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000378:metabolism*; D016232:Endothelins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008638:Mesenteric Arteries / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D010477:Perfusion; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014664:Vasodilation; D014665:Vasodilator Agents
chemical_list: D016232:Endothelins; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D006152:Cyclic GMP