Altered reactivity of coronary arteries located distal to a chronic coronary occlusion.
The coronary vasculature located distal to a chronic occlusion (collateral-dependent) has been shown to exhibit altered reactivity to vasoactive agonists. Thus we evaluated effects of chronic coronary artery occlusion on vasomotor responsiveness of collateral-dependent arteries isolated from a canine model of Ameroid occlusion of the left circumflex (LCX) coronary artery. We compared in vitro responses of large (approximately 1.3- to 1.4-mm-ID) and small (approximately 0.6-mm-ID) LCX arteries located distal to an occlusion with responses of similar-sized segments of the unoccluded left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery. Alpha-adrenergic receptor-mediated contractile responses to norepinephrine (10(-9)-10(-4) M) and phenylephine (10(-9)-10(-4) M) in the presence of propranolol were markedly enhanced in large LCX arteries compared with LAD arteries (P < 0.001). Prazosin (1 microM), an alpha1-adrenergic receptor antagonist, abolished contractile responses of LCX and LAD arteries to norepinephrine. Inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis with N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (100 microM) enhanced norepinephrine-induced contractions of LAD arteries to a greater extent than contractions of LCX arteries. We simultaneously measured myoplasmic free Ca2+ (fura 2 fluorescence ratio) and contractile responses in LCX and LAD arteries denuded of endothelium; norepinephrine-induced increases in myoplasmic free Ca2+ and contractile tension were significantly enhanced in LCX arteries compared with LAD arteries. In addition, large and small LCX arteries exhibited impaired relaxation in response to adenosine (10(-8)-10(-3) M) compared with LAD arteries (P < 0.05). In contrast, relaxation in response to the beta-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol (10(-9)-10(-4) M) and sodium nitroprusside (10(-10)-10(-4) M) was not significantly different in LCX and LAD arteries. Thus collateral-dependent coronary arteries exhibit enhanced alpha-adrenergic vasoconstriction and impaired vasorelaxation in response to adenosine. The enhanced alpha-adrenergic contractile responsiveness involves at least two mechanisms: 1) enhanced alpha1-adrenergic reactivity of smooth muscle and 2) decreased alpha-adrenergic-induced synthesis of nitric oxide by the endothelium.
Rapps
J A
JA
Department of Physiology and Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri, Columbia 65211, USA.
Sturek
M
M
Jones
A W
AW
Parker
J L
JL
D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004285:Dogs; D008297:Male; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000502:physiology; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000502:physiology; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D002118:Calcium; D009638:Norepinephrine