title: Postnatal changes in mechanisms mediating acetylcholine-induced relaxation in piglet femoral arteries.
abstract: We studied the nitric oxide-cGMP pathway in endothelium-dependent relaxation in femoral arterial rings from piglets at different postnatal ages. Responses to acetylcholine (ACh) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) were examined in phenylephrine-precontracted rings from newborn (10-22-h) and 7 d (7-10-d)-old piglets. Relaxant responses were investigated in endothelium-denuded rings and endothelium-intact controls, and in endothelium-intact rings incubated with the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine acetate (L-NMMA), indomethacin, or the superoxide anion generator 6-anilinoquinoline-5,8-quinone (LY83583). Arterial rings from both age groups relaxed to a similar degree in response to ACh. Relaxation in rings from newborn piglets was insensitive to NOS inhibition by L-NMMA, whereas in artery rings from 7-d-old piglets, the relaxant response was significantly inhibited by L-NMMA. Incubation with LY83583 gave an inhibition of ACh-induced relaxation very similar to that of L-NMMA. Incubation with indomethacin had no significant effect on ACh-induced relaxation in either age group. Artery rings from both age groups relaxed 100% to SNP; the 7-d-old group was more sensitive than the newborn. NOS inhibition potentiated SNP-induced relaxation in both groups, but the potentiating effect was of greater magnitude in the newborn. Our results indicate a difference in the mechanism(s) underlying ACh-induced relaxation in the femoral artery from newborn and 7-d-old piglets, with an intact relaxant response in rings from the newborn despite NOS inhibition. The SNP results indicate a down-regulated soluble guanylate cyclase in the newborn, possibly related to a difference in basal NO release between the two age groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Støen
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Brubakk
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vik
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lossius
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jynge
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Karlsson
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000634:Aminoquinolines / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D024510:Muscle Development; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D009599:Nitroprusside / Q000494:pharmacology; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011189:Potassium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D013552:Swine; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects*; D019323:omega-N-Methylarginine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000634:Aminoquinolines; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D009599:Nitroprusside; D010656:Phenylephrine; D019323:omega-N-Methylarginine; D011189:Potassium Chloride; C041715:6-anilino-5,8-quinolinedione; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase; D007213:Indomethacin