title: Cardiovascular effects of intrathecally administered endothelins and big endothelin-1 in conscious rats: receptor characterization and mechanism of action.
abstract: In conscious rats, the intrathecal (i.t.) injection of endothelin-1 (ET-1; 65-650 pmol) and endothelin-3 (ET-3; 162-650 pmol) produced dose-dependent increases of mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) accompanied by either a tachycardia or a bradycardia. A number of animals died by a sudden respiratory arrest. ET-3 was less toxic and less potent than ET-1 on MAP and heart rate (HR) while BQ-3020, a selective ETB agonist, had no toxic effect and exhibited only a weak pressor effect on blood pressure. The prior i.t. injection of 65 nmol BQ-123, a selective ETA receptor antagonist, blocked both the cardiovascular and toxic effects of ET-1 but failed to modify the cardiovascular effect evoked by i.t. substance P (6.5 nmol) or to cause intrinsic cardiovascular and toxic effects. While the pressor response to ET-1 was significantly inhibited after i.v. injection of phentolamine, the bradycardia was blocked by pentolinium. The cardiovascular response to ET-1 was, however, unaffected in rats either sympathectomized with 6-hydroxydopamine or pretreated with capsaicin. Furthermore, big ET-1 (100 pmol) caused toxic effects and delayed cardiovascular changes which were prevented by the prior i.t. administration of either BQ-123 (65 nmol) or 100 nmol phosphoramidon, an endothelin-converting enzyme (ECE) inhibitor. These results suggest: (1) that the cardiovascular and toxic effects of i.t. endothelins are mediated by ETA receptors in the rat spinal cord; (2) that the pressor response and bradycardia are likely due to the activation of the sympatho-adrenal nervous system and to a vagal reflex mechanism, respectively; and (3) that a phosphoramidon-sensitive ECE converts big ET-1 to ET-1 in the rat spinal cord.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Poulat
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: D'Orléans-Juste
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de Champlain
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yano
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Couture
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D065128:Endothelin Receptor Antagonists; D019332:Endothelin-1; D016232:Endothelins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects*; D007278:Injections, Spinal; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic / Q000494:pharmacology; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017466:Receptors, Endothelin / Q000187:drug effects*; D013373:Substance P / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D013563:Sympathectomy, Chemical
chemical_list: D065128:Endothelin Receptor Antagonists; D019332:Endothelin-1; D016232:Endothelins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic; D011498:Protein Precursors; D017466:Receptors, Endothelin; C075771:BQ 3020; D013373:Substance P; C072247:cyclo(Trp-Asp-Pro-Val-Leu)