title: Density and localization of calcium channels of the L-type in human pulmonary artery.
abstract: The pharmacological profile and the anatomical localization of Ca2+ channels of the L-type were investigated in the human pulmonary artery to identify possible mechanisms involved in the regulation of the pulmonary vascular tone. Analysis was performed on slide-mounted frozen sections of human pulmonary artery using radioligand binding assay techniques associated with light microscope autoradiography. [3H]-Nicardipine was used as ligand. Human renal and right coronary arteries also were used as systemic reference arteries. Binding of [3H]-nicardipine to sections of human pulmonary artery was time-, temperature- and concentration-dependent, saturable and reversible. In the human pulmonary artery, the apparent equilibrium dissociation constant (Kd) was 0.12+/-0.02 nM and the maximum density of binding sites (Bmax) was 38.15+/-2.25 fmol/mg tissue. Kd values were 0.3+/-0.01 nM and 0.5+/-0.02 in the human renal artery and right coronary artery respectively. Bmax values were 248+/-16 fmol/mg tissue and 173+/-9.5 fmol/mg tissue in the human renal artery and right coronary artery respectively. The pharmacological profile of [3H]-nicardipine binding to sections of human pulmonary artery was consistent with the labeling of Ca2+ channels of the L-type. It was similar in the pulmonary artery and in the human renal and right coronary arteries. Light microscope autoradiography revealed a high density of [3H]-nicardipine binding sites within smooth muscle of the tunica media of human pulmonary artery as well as of human renal and right coronary arteries. A lower accumulation of the radioligand occurred in the tunica adventitia. No specific binding was noticeable in the tunica intima. Our data suggest that human pulmonary artery expresses Ca2+ channels of the L-type sensitive to dihydropyridines. These sites have similar affinity and lower density than those expressed by systemic arteries. The presence of Ca2+ channels of the L-type in human pulmonary artery suggests that their pharmacological manipulation may be considered in the treatment of pulmonary hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Medicina Sperimentale, Università di Camerino, Italy. amenta@cambio.unicam.it
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Amenta
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bisetti
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bronzetti
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Coppola
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Felici
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ferrante
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mariotta
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ricci
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001158:Arteries / Q000378:metabolism; D001345:Autoradiography; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000378:metabolism; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000378:metabolism*; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009529:Nicardipine / Q000378:metabolism; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000378:metabolism*; D012077:Renal Artery / Q000378:metabolism; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D015220:Calcium Channels; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type; D009529:Nicardipine