title: Effects of endothelin receptor inhibition on cerebral arterioles in hypertensive rats.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of endothelin receptor inhibition on cerebral arterioles in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP). Structure and mechanics of cerebral arterioles were examined in untreated Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) and SHRSP that were either untreated or treated for 3 months with bosentan, an inhibitor of endothelin receptors (100 mg/kg per day). We measured pressure, external diameter, and cross-sectional area of the vessel wall (histologically) in maximally dilated (EDTA) arterioles on the cerebrum. Bosentan reduced but did not normalize arteriolar mean pressure (103 +/- 3 and 81 +/- 5 mm Hg in untreated and treated SHRSP versus 51 +/- 4 mm Hg in WKY, P < .05; mean +/- SEM) and pulse pressure (40 +/- 2 and 33 +/- 2 mm Hg in untreated and treated SHRSP versus 25 +/- 3 mm Hg in WKY, P < .05) in SHRSP. Cross-sectional area of the vessel wall (CSA) was increased in untreated SHRSP (1627 +/- 173 microm2), and CSA in treated SHRSP (1287 +/- 78 microm2) was similar to that in WKY (1299 +/- 65 microm2). Bosentan had no effect on reductions in external diameter (remodeling) of cerebral arterioles (104 +/- 7 and 96 +/- 4 microm in untreated and treated SHRSP compared with 126 +/- 7 microm in WKY, P < .05). Stress-strain curves indicate that bosentan had no significant effect on distensibility of arterioles on the cerebrum in SHRSP. The results suggest that endothelin-1 may contribute to the development of hypertrophy, but not remodeling or changes in distensibility, of cerebral arterioles in SHRSP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City 52242, USA.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Chillon
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Heistad
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Baumbach
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001160:Arterioles / Q000503:physiopathology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D000077300:Bosentan; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D065128:Endothelin Receptor Antagonists; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY; D017466:Receptors, Endothelin / Q000502:physiology; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D065128:Endothelin Receptor Antagonists; D017466:Receptors, Endothelin; D013449:Sulfonamides; D000077300:Bosentan