title: Predominant role for nitric oxide in the relaxation induced by acetylcholine in human uterine artery.
abstract: The effect of acetylcholine on the isolated human uterine artery rings was investigated. Acetylcholine (10(-10) M to 6 x 10(-5) M) induced concentration- and endothelium-dependent relaxation (pD2 = 7.4 +/- 0.02, maximal response was 77.5 +/- 6.3% of relaxation induced by papaverine at 3 x 10(-4) M) of the pre-contracted arterial segments. Indomethacin (10(-5) M), diethylcarbamazine (10(-4) M) and tetra-ethylammonium (3 x 10(-4) M) had no effects on acetylcholine-evoked relaxation. Methylene blue (10(-5) M) and NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA) (3 x 10(-6) to 3 x 10(-5) M) antagonized relaxation induced by acetylcholine. The inhibition of endothelium-dependent relaxation by L-NMMA (10(-5) M) was reversed by L-arginine (10(-5) M) but not by D-arginine (10(-4) M). It is concluded that in uterine artery acetylcholine induces endothelium-dependent relaxation of isolated uterine artery is probably mediated via endothelial nitric oxide formation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University Medical Centre, Medical Faculty, Belgrade, Yugoslavia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jovanović
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Grbović
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tulić
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000328:Adult; D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D001158:Arteries / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008751:Methylene Blue / Q000494:pharmacology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D010208:Papaverine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D019789:Tetraethylammonium; D013757:Tetraethylammonium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D014599:Uterus / Q000098:blood supply*; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects*; D019323:omega-N-Methylarginine
chemical_list: D013757:Tetraethylammonium Compounds; D010656:Phenylephrine; D019323:omega-N-Methylarginine; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019789:Tetraethylammonium; D001120:Arginine; D010208:Papaverine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases; D000109:Acetylcholine; D008751:Methylene Blue