title: Pulmonary vascular smooth muscle contraction.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine the response of pulmonary vascular smooth muscle to (1) cellular depolarization (response to KC1), (2) alpha 1-adrenergic receptor stimulation (response to phenylephrine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine), and (3) eicosinoid receptor stimulation (response to prostaglandin F 2 alpha, serotonin, and U46619). Isolated rat pulmonary artery rings were suspended on a fine wire tensiometer in individual organ chambers. After confirming endothelial integrity (response to acetylcholine), dose-response curves were constructed for each vasoactive agonist. The maximal developed tension as well as the dose required to produce 50% of maximal contraction (EC50) was determined for each agonist. The U46619, a stable thromboxane A2 mimetic, and prostaglandin F 2 alpha, (PGF 2 alpha) produced the greatest maximal developed tension in pulmonary vascular smooth muscle. This maximal contraction to U46619 and PGF 2 alpha, was the same as the maximal tension in response to cellular depolarization (KCI). The maximal tension developed to KCI and U46619 was significantly greater than to alpha 1-adrenergic receptor stimulation and serotonin, 5HT. The maximal tension developed to PGF 2 alpha was greater than the developed tension to 5HT. The dose response curves of alpha 1-adrenergic receptor stimulation and U46619 were shifted to the left compared to PGF 2 alpha and 5HT. This study demonstrates that U46619, and PGF 2 alpha produce the greatest maximal developed tension in pulmonary vascular smooth muscle. Furthermore, U46619 has the same potency as alpha 1-adrenergic receptor stimulation, which is significantly greater than 5HT and PGF 2 alpha. These data may be helpful in the delineation of the pathophysiology of pulmonary hypertension due to adult respiratory distress syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, USA.
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: McIntyre
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Agrafojo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Fullerton
mesh_terms: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D011189:Potassium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018055:Receptors, Eicosanoid / Q000502:physiology; D014661:Vasoconstriction
chemical_list: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D018055:Receptors, Eicosanoid; D011189:Potassium Chloride