title: Ischaemia/reperfusion enhances phenylephrine-induced contraction of rabbit aorta due to impairment of neuronal uptake.
abstract: We studied the effect of ischaemia and reperfusion on vasoconstrictor and vasodilator mechanisms. Anaesthetized rabbits were subjected to 4-h abdominal aortic occlusion and 1-h reperfusion in vivo. Segments of the abdominal (ischaemic-reperfused) and thoracic (control) aorta were then removed for in vitro studies. Ischaemia/reperfusion had no significant effect on relaxant responses to either acetylcholine (ACh:endothelium-dependent) or sodium nitroprusside (SNP:endothelium-independent). The sensitivity of the aorta to contraction by phenylephrine was significantly increased in aortic rings with or without endothelium (by 2.2- and 3.7-fold, respectively), but was not different after 4-h ischaemia without reperfusion. In contrast, responses to methoxamine, serotonin, and U46619 were not affected by ischaemia/reperfusion. Moreover, the relative increase in aortic sensitivity to phenylephrine was prevented by treatment of control and ischaemic-reperfused aortic rings with the neuronal uptake inhibitor cocaine (10(-5) M). These results suggest that after 4-h ischaemia, reperfusion damages sympathetic neuronal uptake mechanisms in rabbit aorta. As a result, phenylephrine, an agonist normally susceptible to neuronal uptake, may exert more potent contractile effects. Endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent relaxant mechanisms in the aorta appear to be resistant to acute ischaemia and reperfusion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Sobey
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sozzi
authors.forename: O L
authors.initials: OL
authors.lastname: Woodman
mesh_terms: D019796:15-Hydroxy-11 alpha,9 alpha-(epoxymethano)prosta-5,13-dienoic Acid; D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008729:Methoxamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011450:Prostaglandin Endoperoxides, Synthetic / Q000494:pharmacology; D011817:Rabbits; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism*; D013928:Thromboxane A2 / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D014661:Vasoconstriction
chemical_list: D011450:Prostaglandin Endoperoxides, Synthetic; D010656:Phenylephrine; D012701:Serotonin; D013928:Thromboxane A2; D019796:15-Hydroxy-11 alpha,9 alpha-(epoxymethano)prosta-5,13-dienoic Acid; D008729:Methoxamine; D000109:Acetylcholine