title: Aging and endothelin-1 induced vascular contractions.
abstract: Contractions produced by endothelin-1 (0.3-30 nM) have been investigated in aorta, renal arteries and mesenteric arteries from 2- and 24-month-old Sprague-Dawley rats. In senescent rats the EC50 values of endothelin-1 for aorta and renal artery were significantly increased (aorta: from 6.2 to 12 nM; renal artery: from 5.2 to 7.8 nM). For mesenteric artery the EC50 value (4.3 nM) was unchanged by aging, whereas the maximal contractile response to endothelin-1 was enhanced (from 8.3 to 11.7 mN). In contrast, there was no significant age-related difference in the maximal endothelin-1 response of aorta and renal artery. The present data demonstrate a reduced sensitivity for aorta and renal artery and an enhanced maximal response to endothelin-1 in the mesenteric artery in senescent rats.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Pharmacology, Goedecke Research Institute, Freiburg, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Weinheimer
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Dooley
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cazzonelli
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Osswald
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000502:physiology; D016232:Endothelins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008638:Mesenteric Arteries / Q000502:physiology; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012077:Renal Artery / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D016232:Endothelins