title: Continuous versus intermittent nitroglycerin administration in experimental heart failure: vascular relaxation and radioligand binding to adrenoceptors and ion channels.
abstract: Continuous nitroglycerin (NTG) administration causes pharmacologic tolerance in humans and animals, whereas intermittent dosing is capable of avoiding or reducing tolerance development. The mechanism of NTG-induced hemodynamic tolerance may involve specific vascular desensitization and/or neurohormonal compensation. We compared effects of long-term (10 days) NTG administration (continuous or intermittent 12 h on/12 h off transdermal dosing, 10 micrograms/min) to rats with congestive heart failure (CHF) on radioligand binding from selected tissues. Tension responses in isolated blood vessels, plasma renin activity (PRA), plasma Na+ and K+ concentrations were also determined. The maximal binding values (Bmax) for [3H]glyburide and [3H]PN 200 110 in homogenates of left ventricle, right ventricle, and brain were not significantly different after NTG administration (continuous or intermittent), as compared with control. Intermittent, but not continuous, NTG caused significant increases in beta-adrenoceptor densities in the left ventricle, as judged by [3H]dihydroalprenolol binding (Bmax values: intermittent NTG 34.5 +/- 4.8, continuous NTG 24.4 +/- 2.6, placebo control 20.9 +/- 2.9 fmol/mg protein); Kd values for all ligands were not significantly altered by NTG administration. Both intermittent and continuous NTG increased the vascular contractile response to phenylephrine in isolated rat thoracic aorta. Slight reductions (two- to four-fold shifts in EC50 values) in thoracic aorta relaxant response to NTG were observed in both treatment groups as compared with control. Intermittent and continuous NTG administration caused selective changes in beta-adrenoceptor density and vascular response. These changes may contribute partly to the phenomenon of pharmacologic tolerance after chronic nitrate administration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutics, State University of New York at Buffalo 14260.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Fung
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Y W
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gopalakrishnan
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Triggle
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001665:Binding Sites; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D005905:Glyburide / Q000378:metabolism; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000378:metabolism*; D017275:Isradipine / Q000378:metabolism; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000187:drug effects; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D005996:Nitroglycerin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood; D011869:Radioligand Assay; D051381:Rats; D011941:Receptors, Adrenergic / Q000378:metabolism*; D012083:Renin / Q000097:blood; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D007473:Ion Channels; D011941:Receptors, Adrenergic; D012964:Sodium; D012083:Renin; D005996:Nitroglycerin; D011188:Potassium; D005905:Glyburide; D017275:Isradipine