title: Potassium-free solution prevents the action but not the release of endothelium-derived relaxing factor.
abstract: Exposure to a K+-free solution reversibly inhibited the acetylcholine-induced relaxation in perfused canine femoral artery segments with endothelium and in superfused bioassay femoral artery rings without endothelium. Infusion of 6.7 mM K+ into the K+-free perfusate downstream of the perfused artery restored the acetylcholine-induced relaxation in the bioassay ring, whereas no relaxation was observed in the perfused segment still exposed to the K+-free solution. These data demonstrate that the K+-free solution depresses the endothelium-dependent relaxation to acetylcholine in femoral arteries by preventing the action, but not the production, of endothelium-derived relaxing factor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Rubanyi
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Vanhoutte
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001688:Biological Products / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D015237:Dinoprost; D004285:Dogs; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000187:drug effects; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D010477:Perfusion; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism*; D011460:Prostaglandins F / Q000494:pharmacology; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D001688:Biological Products; D011460:Prostaglandins F; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D015237:Dinoprost; D000109:Acetylcholine; D011188:Potassium