title: Endothelium-dependent relaxation and hyperpolarization in aorta from control and renal hypertensive rats.
abstract: Endothelium-dependent relaxations are depressed in hypertension. In this study we investigated the possible involvement of endothelium-dependent smooth muscle hyperpolarization in this phenomenon. In isolated aortic segments from control rats, acetylcholine (10(-8)-10(-5) M) elicits relaxations after precontraction with norepinephrine (10(-7) M), and acetylcholine or carbachol (10(-5) M) induce smooth muscle hyperpolarization (10.6 +/- 0.9 mV). Both effects disappear after removal of the endothelium and are depressed by tetraethylammonium (3 x 10(-3) M), a rather nonspecific blocker of K+ channels, but not by glibenclamide (10(-5) M), a potent blocker of the ATP-regulated K+ channels, which has a marked effect on the relaxation induced by BRL 38227. The relaxation effect of acetylcholine is impaired in norepinephrine-contracted preparations from hypertensive rats but is not further depressed by tetraethylammonium. In aorta from hypertensive rats, hyperpolarization induced by carbachol was significantly reduced to a mean of only 21.8% of the values obtained in preparations from normotensive rats. From the relaxation-hyperpolarization relation obtained with BRL 38227 (opening K+ channels), it is derived that the endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization (approximately 10 mV) contributes for at least 20-30% of the maximal relaxation effect of acetylcholine on rat aorta. It is concluded that the diminished endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization may contribute to the depression of the endothelium-dependent relaxation in hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Normal and Pathological Physiology, University of Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van de Voorde
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vanheel
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Leusen
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta; D002217:Carbachol / Q000494:pharmacology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005905:Glyburide / Q000494:pharmacology; D006977:Hypertension, Renal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000187:drug effects; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D019789:Tetraethylammonium; D013757:Tetraethylammonium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D015221:Potassium Channels; D013757:Tetraethylammonium Compounds; D019789:Tetraethylammonium; D002217:Carbachol; D000109:Acetylcholine; D005905:Glyburide