Long-term effects of ethanol on coronary microvessels of rats.
To study the hitherto unknown long-term effects of ethanol on the contractile activity of wall cells of coronary microvessels (mv.), 21 experimental and 21 control animals were investigated, using a new histomorphometric method. The pair-fed rats of the experimental group were given a diet containing ethanol which replaced 36% of the total calories for 4 weeks. This resulted in an increase of wall thickness of mv. in all segments of the microvasculature and an augmentation of the number of ATP-hydrolyzing small-calibered mv. The increase of wall thickness of muscularized mv. was interpreted as a structural adaptation to a long-term predominance of vasotonic influences, which were apparently likewise responsible for the increase of ATP-hydrolysis in the smallest mv. The possible reasons for this predominance are discussed and the necessity to include myocardial metabolic factors in pathogenic considerations on ethanol-induced coronary affections is indicated. Such mv. reactions as observed may be considered as a potential contributive pathogenic factor in ethanol-induced cardiomyopathies and hypertension.
D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002200:Capillary Resistance / Q000187:drug effects; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000139:chemically induced; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D006868:Hydrolysis; D006973:Hypertension / Q000139:chemically induced; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects
D000431:Ethanol; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate