title: Modulation of uterine resistance artery lumen diameter by calcium and G protein activation during pregnancy.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the increased sensitivity of uterine resistance arteries from late pregnant (LP) rats to alpha-adrenergic stimulation is due to an alteration in the fundamental relationship between cytosolic calcium (Ca2+) and arterial lumen diameter. Uterine arcuate arteries were permeabilized with Staphylococcus aureus alpha-toxin under optimal conditions and constricted to varying degrees with discrete Ca2+ concentrations at a distending pressure of 50 mmHg. Arterial segments from nonpregnant (NP) and LP rats exhibited similar Ca2+/lumen diameter characteristics. Ca2+ (0.1 microM) produced appreciable constriction, and lumen diameter decreased steeply between 0.175 and 0.25 microM Ca2+; maximal responses were attained with 0.5 microM Ca2+. Activation of guanine nucleotide binding proteins (G proteins) with guanosine 5'-triphosphate (GTP; 1-100 microM), as reportedly occurs during alpha-adrenergic stimulation, potentiated the Ca(2+)-induced constriction by 121 and 79% in arteries from LP and NP rats, respectively. No significant differences between the two animal groups were noted. Guanosine 5'-O-(gamma-thiotriphosphate) (GTP gamma S; 0.1-10 microM), a nonhydrolyzable analogue of GTP, effected a larger potentiating effect over that maximal response caused by GTP in arteries from NP rats. Ca(2+)- and Ca2+/GTP-induced constrictions were more potently reversed by guanosine 5'-O-(beta-thiodiphosphate) (GDP beta S)., a competitive inhibitor of GTP, in arteries from NP rats. These data suggest that pregnancy-induced increases in sensitivity to alpha-adrenergic stimulation may be related to altered G protein cycling rates, such that G proteins in smooth muscle cells in arcuate arteries from NP rats are more susceptible to deactivation. Alternatively, consistent with the model of G protein-mediated inhibition of myosin light chain phosphatase, myosin light chain phosphatase activity may be enhanced in uterine vascular smooth muscle from NP rats relative to that from LP rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Vermont, College of Medicine, Burlington 05405.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: D'Angelo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Osol
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001158:Arteries / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D016244:Guanosine 5'-O-(3-Thiotriphosphate) / Q000494:pharmacology; D006153:Guanosine Diphosphate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D006160:Guanosine Triphosphate / Q000494:pharmacology; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D012016:Reference Values; D013873:Thionucleotides / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors; D014599:Uterus / Q000098:blood supply*; D014655:Vascular Resistance; D014661:Vasoconstriction
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D013873:Thionucleotides; C021091:staphylococcal alpha-toxin; D006153:Guanosine Diphosphate; D016244:Guanosine 5'-O-(3-Thiotriphosphate); C023427:guanosine 5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate); D006160:Guanosine Triphosphate; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins; D002118:Calcium