title: Microtubules regulate pulmonary vascular smooth muscle contraction.
abstract: Microtubules are ubiquitous in eukaryotic cells. However, the role of microtubules in the mechanisms of pulmonary vascular smooth contraction has not previously been described. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of microtubular inhibition (vinblastine) on the following mechanisms of pulmonary vascular smooth muscle contraction in rats using isolated pulmonary artery rings: (1) receptor-independent, calcium-dependent contraction via smooth muscle cell depolarization (response to KCl); (2) receptor-dependent, calcium-dependent contraction via alpha 1-adrenergic receptor stimulation (response to phenylephrine, PE); (3) receptor-dependent, calcium-independent contraction via thromboxane A2 receptor stimulation (response to the thromboxane mimetic, U-46619). Rats were studied 4 days after administration of vinblastine (750 micrograms/kg i.v.). Concentration-response curves were generated for KCl (5 mM to 100 mM) and for PE and U-46619 (10(-9) to 10(-4) M) (n = 8 rings/4 rats per group). Saline injected rats were controls. Pulmonary vascular smooth muscle contraction by calcium-dependent and -independent mechanisms was significantly increased following microtubular inhibition. These findings suggest that microtubules have an important role in the response of pulmonary vascular smooth muscle to vasoconstricting agonists.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Colorado, Denver 80262, USA.
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Sheridan
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: McIntyre
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Meldrum
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Cleveland
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Agrafojo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Harken
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Fullerton
mesh_terms: D019796:15-Hydroxy-11 alpha,9 alpha-(epoxymethano)prosta-5,13-dienoic Acid; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008870:Microtubules / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011450:Prostaglandin Endoperoxides, Synthetic / Q000494:pharmacology; D011652:Pulmonary Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017482:Receptors, Thromboxane / Q000819:agonists; D013928:Thromboxane A2 / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D011450:Prostaglandin Endoperoxides, Synthetic; D017482:Receptors, Thromboxane; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D010656:Phenylephrine; D013928:Thromboxane A2; D014747:Vinblastine; D019796:15-Hydroxy-11 alpha,9 alpha-(epoxymethano)prosta-5,13-dienoic Acid; D002118:Calcium