title: Prostacyclin causes splenic dilation and haematological change in dogs.
abstract: 1. The effect of vasodilators on spleen volume and the blood storage function is not yet well elucidated. To this end, in the present study the effects of prostacyclin, a potent vasodilator, on splenic diameter and blood cell concentrations in arterial and splenic venous blood were evaluated in anaesthetized dogs. 2. The main splenic artery and vein were dissected for measurement of splenic arterial blood flow and intra-arterial administration and for sampling of splenic venous blood, respectively. The diameter of the spleen was measured continuously by sonomicrometry. Counts of white blood cells (WBC), red blood cells (RBC) and platelets in blood sampling from the aorta and splenic vein were estimated by an automatic blood cell counter. 3. Bolus injections of prostacyclin (1-100 ng/kg) into the splenic artery produced dose-dependent increases in splenic arterial blood flow and splenic diameter associated with significant decreases in splenic venous concentrations of WBC, RBC and platelets. When splenic blood flow was kept constant, similar changes in splenic diameter and blood cell counts were observed with prostacyclin injection. 4. Splenic dilation and haematological changes induced by prostacyclin were relatively more potent than those induced by prostaglandin E(2), acetylcholine, nitroglycerin or isoproterenol when doses producing a comparable increase in splenic blood flow were compared. 5. Infusion of prostacyclin (100 ng/kg per min) into the splenic artery caused a marked increase in splenic diameter, with immediate reductions in splenic venous concentrations of WBC, RBC and platelets, followed by significant reductions in these cell counts in the general circulation. 6. These results indicate that prostacyclin produces potent and flow-independent splenic dilation that may contribute to a decrease in circulating blood cell concentrations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa 903-0215, Japan. noguchi@med.u-ryukyu.ac.jp
authors.forename: Katsuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Noguchi
authors.forename: Toshihiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsuzaki
authors.forename: Yoshihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ojiri
authors.forename: Mayuko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sakanashi
authors.forename: Junko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nakasone
authors.forename: Matao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sakanashi
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000187:drug effects; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D004285:Dogs; D011464:Epoprostenol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004906:Erythrocyte Count; D005260:Female; D007261:Infusions, Intra-Arterial; D007269:Injections, Intra-Arterial; D007545:Isoproterenol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D005996:Nitroglycerin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D010976:Platelet Count; D013154:Spleen / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013157:Splenic Artery / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013162:Splenic Vein / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects*; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D011464:Epoprostenol; D005996:Nitroglycerin; D007545:Isoproterenol; D000109:Acetylcholine