Contrasting effects of diethylstilbestrol and estradiol on contraction of isolated rat aorta.
Diethylstilbestrol (DES, 1 X 10(-6) M) inhibited norepinephrine (NE)-induced contractions of isolated rat aortic strips only at low doses of NE in contrast to estradiol-17 beta (1 X 10(-5) M) which depressed only the response to high doses. The degree of inhibition increased over a period of 90 min exposure to the estrogens. Microsomes accumulated process appears to be gradual requiring many minutes which may explain the gradual increase in intensity of the inhibitory effect with increased time of exposure to DES. The contrasting inhibitory effects of DES and estradiol in rat aorta may be due to non-homogeneous solution of these drugs in smooth muscle plasma membranes. DES, but not estradiol, caused contraction of isolated aortic strips prior to the onset of inhibition. This contraction showed fade and tachyphylaxis, was antagonized by alpha-adrenergic blockers, and was enhanced by prior treatment of the strips with NE. Thus, DES but not estradiol is capable of mobilizing NE from storage sites in rat aorta.
D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects*; D004054:Diethylstilbestrol / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008861:Microsomes / Q000378:metabolism; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D013997:Time Factors
D004958:Estradiol; D004054:Diethylstilbestrol; D009638:Norepinephrine