title: Incomplete inhibition of the pressor effects of endothelin-1 and related peptides in the anaesthetized rat with BQ-123 provides evidence for more than one vasoconstrictor receptor.
abstract: 1. The effects of the ETA receptor antagonist, BQ-123 on blood pressure changes induced by various members of the endothelin (ET)/sarafotoxin (SX) peptide superfamily were investigated in the anaesthetized rat. 2. ET-1 (1 nmol kg-1, i.v. bolus) induced a sustained increase in mean arterial pressure (MAP, maximum increase 44 +/- 3 mmHg). Intravenous injection of BQ-123 at 0.2, 1.0 or 5.0 mg kg-1 5 min before ET-1 inhibited the pressor response by 18, 50 and 61%, respectively. The ET-1 pressor response was inhibited by 75% when the peptide was given 60 min after the start of a 120 min i.v. infusion of BQ-123 (0.2 mg kg-1 min-1). 3. In addition to ET-1, BQ-123 (1 mg kg-1, i.v. bolus) attenuated the pressor responses to big ET-1 (1 nmol kg-1, i.v., bolus, maximum increase in MAP: 68 +/- 7 mmHg), ET-3 (3 nmol kg-1, i.v., bolus, maximum response: 30 +/- 3 mmHg), SX6b (1 nmol kg-1, i.v., bolus, maximum response: 41 +/- 5 mmHg) and SX6c (1 nmol kg-1, i.v., bolus, maximum response: 24 +/- 4 mmHg) by 65, 60, 88 and 50%, respectively. 4. With the exception of big ET-1, all the peptides used in this study induced an initial transient depressor response (-32 +/- 3 mmHg, n = 18). Although BQ-123 (1 mg kg-1, i.v., bolus) did not affect the absolute magnitude of the fall in MAP, the ETA receptor antagonist significantly prolonged the depressor responses induced by ET-3 and SX6b. 5. Thus, BQ-123 attenuates the pressor, but not the depressor effects of ET-1, big ET-1, ET-3, SX6b and SX6c. Complete inhibition of the pressor responses could not be achieved, suggesting that a component of the pressor response is not mediated via the ETA receptor.
authors.affiliation: William Harvey Research Institute, St. Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College, London.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: McMurdo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Corder
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thiemermann
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Vane
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000777:Anesthetics; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D016232:Endothelins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017466:Receptors, Endothelin / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D013874:Thiopental; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000777:Anesthetics; D016232:Endothelins; D010455:Peptides; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic; D017466:Receptors, Endothelin; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D013874:Thiopental; C072247:cyclo(Trp-Asp-Pro-Val-Leu)