title: Circulating endothelin-1 reduces splanchnic and renal blood flow and splanchnic glucose production in humans.
abstract: The effect of minimal changes in circulating plasma endothelin-1 (ET-1) was studied in 12 healthy subjects receiving either 60 min of ET-1 (0.2 pmol.kg-1.min-1) or physiological saline intravenously. Blood was drawn from arterial, renal, and central hepatic vein catheters. Arterial ET-1-like immunoreactivity (ET-1-LI) increased from 4.7 +/- 0.4 (SE) to 8.6 +/- 1.0 pmol/l during ET-1 infusion. After 10 min, plasma ET-1-LI had increased to 6.12 +/- 0.29 pmol/l. For comparison the plasma ET-1-LI level was 12.9 +/- 4.2 pmol/in five patients with sepsis syndrome. Mean arterial blood pressure rose from 92 +/- 3 to 99 +/- 4 mmHg. Estimated splanchnic and renal blood flows fell by 18 +/- 5 and 10 +/- 3%, respectively, and splanchnic glucose production fell by 42 +/- 6% within 10 min of the ET-1 infusion and differed compared with corresponding control values. Only estimated splanchnic blood flow had increased 60 min after the ET-1 infusion. No change in splanchnic uptake of lactate or glycerol was seen. In conclusion, we suggest that circulating ET-1 with small or no demonstrable change in plasma concentration interferes with vasoactivity and splanchnic glycogenolyses in health and possibly pathophysiological conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Physiology, Huddinge Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ahlborg
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Weitzberg
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lundberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001158:Arteries; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D016232:Endothelins / Q000097:blood* / Q000494:pharmacology; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D005990:Glycerol / Q000378:metabolism; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007773:Lactates / Q000378:metabolism; D019344:Lactic Acid; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012016:Reference Values; D012079:Renal Circulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013152:Splanchnic Circulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D018746:Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D014781:Viscera / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016232:Endothelins; D007773:Lactates; D019344:Lactic Acid; D005947:Glucose; D005990:Glycerol