HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Free Full Text (PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Widmer, C. C. Articles by Barton, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Widmer, C. C. Articles by Barton, M.

---

VASCULAR AND HYPERTENSION

Marked Heterogeneity of Endothelin-Mediated Contractility and Contraction Dynamics in Mouse Renal and Femoral Arteries

Medical Policlinic, University Hospital Zürich, Rämistrasse 100, CH-8091 Zürich, Switzerland

To whom requests for reprints should be addressed at ¹ Medizinische Poliklinik, Departement für Innere Medizin, Universitätsspital, Rämistrasse 100, CH-8091 Zürich, Switzerland. E-Mail: barton{at}usz.ch

Abstract

Although endothelin (ET)-1 is one of the strongest known vasoconstrictors in most species, we and others have previously found that it is only weakly effective in the mouse aorta. The aim of this study was to further investigate vasoactive effects of ET-1 in vascular beds generally known to be particularly sensitive to ET-1, such as the renal artery. Experiments were performed to determine the vasoconstrictor responses in the thoracic aorta, and in the carotid, femoral, and renal arteries. Isolated vascular rings of C57BL/6 adult male mice (35–40 weeks of age) were exposed to ET-1 (0.01–300 nM) in the presence of the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor L-NAME (0.3 mM) to exclude effects of nitric oxide. Vessels from different vascular beds demonstrated distinct patterns in potency of the contractions to ET-1 and the dynamics of the responses. The maximal contraction to ET-1 was strong and significantly greater in the femoral (105 ± 7% KCl) and renal artery (62 ± 7% KCl) than in the carotid artery or the aorta (P < 0.05). The dynamics of the contractile response to ET-1 varied between the different vessels: the renal artery showed a rapid vasoconstriction, followed by a near complete loss of tension, whereas in the aorta, carotid, and femoral artery, vasoconstriction was more sustained. In conclusion, the data demonstrate that mouse femoral and renal arteries exhibit strong contractions in response to ET-1 compared with aorta and carotid artery, and that contractile dynamics differ markedly between arterial vascular beds. These findings may be important for studying the effects of endothelin in mouse models of human disease.

Key Words: anatomic • vascular • heterogeneity • femoral • mouse

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. L. Mundy, E. Haas, I. Bhattacharya, C. C. Widmer, M. Kretz, K. Baumann, and M. Barton Endothelin stimulates vascular hydroxyl radical formation: effect of obesity Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, December 1, 2007; 293(6): R2218 - R2224. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. L. Mundy, E. Haas, I. Bhattacharya, C. C. Widmer, M. Kretz, R. Hofmann-Lehmann, R. Minotti, and M. Barton Fat intake modifies vascular responsiveness and receptor expression of vasoconstrictors: Implications for diet-induced obesity Cardiovasc Res, January 15, 2007; 73(2): 368 - 375. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]