title: Relaxation by urocortin of human saphenous veins.
abstract: Urocortin, an endogenous peptide structurally related to corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), has potent cardiovascular effects, suggesting that it may be of significance in cardiovascular regulation. The objective of this study was to analyse the effects of urocortin and its action mechanisms on human blood vessels. To this, 3 mm long segments from human saphenous veins were prepared for isometric tension recording in an organ bath. In the segments at basal resting tone, urocortin did not produce any effect, but in the segments precontracted with endothelin-1 (1 - 10 nM), urocortin (1 pM - 10 nM) produced concentration-dependent relaxation. This relaxation was not modified by the inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 100 microM), but it was potentiated by the cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor meclofenamate (10 microM) and it was reduced by the inhibitors of high-conductance Ca2+-dependent potassium channels tetraethylammonium (TEA, 10 mM) and charybdotoxin (100 nM). These results indicate that human saphenous veins are very sensitive to urocortin, which produces vascular relaxation by a mechanism independent of nitric oxide and dependent of high-conductance Ca2+-dependent potassium channels, and that it may be opposed by the release of vasoconstrictor prostanoids. Therefore, urocortin may be of significance for regulation of the venous circulation in humans.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma, 28029 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sanz
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Monge
authors.forename: Nuria
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: María Angeles
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.forename: Juan B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Martínez-León
authors.forename: Godofredo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Diéguez
authors.forename: Angel Luis
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: García-Villalón
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018999:Charybdotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008469:Meclofenamic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000187:drug effects; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000502:physiology; D011453:Prostaglandins / Q000502:physiology; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D019789:Tetraethylammonium / Q000494:pharmacology; D054832:Urocortins
chemical_list: D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D019332:Endothelin-1; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D015221:Potassium Channels; D011453:Prostaglandins; D054832:Urocortins; D018999:Charybdotoxin; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D008469:Meclofenamic Acid; D019789:Tetraethylammonium; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester