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gunet.georgetown.edu
PURPOSE: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a vasoproliferative condition that can result in severe visual impairment and blindness in preterm babies. Two conditions seen very early in radioimmunoassay (ROP) are vasoconstriction and vaso-obliteration. A potent vasoconstrictor secreted by endothelial cells is endothelin-1 (ET-1). Premature birth results in a relative systemic hyperoxia, compared to the in utero oxygen milieu. We tested the hypothesis that hyperoxia increases ET-1 expression as a possible mechanism for vasoconstriction in the retinal vasculature. METHODS: Bovine retinal endothelial cells and adrenal capillary endothelial cells were isolated and maintained in culture. Cells were exposed to control or hyperoxic culture conditions for 24 h, with and without addition of captopril and nifedipine. Media was collected and assayed for ET-1 by ROP. In addition, cell counts and secreted LDH assays were performed. RESULTS: Conditioned media from cultured bovine retinal and adrenal endothelial cells exposed to hyperoxic culture conditions for 24 h were found to have higher levels of ET-1 than conditioned media from normoxic control cells. Captopril (10(-6) M and 10(-4) M) and nifedipine (10(-6) M and 10(-4) M) inhibited ET-1 release from hyperoxia-exposed endothelial cells. Under normoxic conditions, ET-1 release was inhibited by 10(-4) M captopril or 10(-4) M nifedipine. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that (1) hyperoxia stimulates in vitro ET-1 secretion in bovine retinal and adrenal capillary endothelial cells, and (2) captopril and nifedipine downregulate ET-1 secretion under normoxic and hyperoxic culture conditions, in a dose-dependent fashion. We speculate that ET-1 may be involved in retinal vessel vasoconstriction seen early in the development of ROP. Further, ACE inhibitors and calcium-channel blocking agents, such as captopril and nifedipine, may provide an avenue for blocking vasoconstriction in ROP.
online pharmacy ref source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=9617543&dopt=Abstract
ms5.hinet.net
We studied the mechanism by which endothelin-1 (ET-1) affects the mobility of intracellular free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) in cultured A7r5 aortic smooth muscle cells. ET-1 at 10(-9) to 10(-7) M increased [Ca2+]i in Ca2+-containing buffer and Ca2+-free buffer. Pretreatment with ET-1 inhibited thapsigargin- and carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP)-induced [Ca2+]i increases in Ca2+-free buffer. Pretreatment with thapsigargin and CCCP partially abolished the [Ca2+]i increase induced by ET-1. The ET-1-induced Ca2+ signal was partially suppressed by the ETA receptor antagonist BQ123 and the ETB receptor antagonist BQ788 and nifedipine. Pretreatment of cells with the phospholipase C inhibitor U73122 reduced the ET-1-induced [Ca2+]i increase. These results suggest that the ET-1-induced [Ca2+]i increase in A7r5 smooth muscle cells initially activates the ETA receptor, leading to Ca2+ influx and increased internal Ca2+ release from endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondrial Ca2+ stores. The ETB receptor and L-type Ca2+ channel are involved in maintaining further extracellular Ca2+ influx. ET-1-induced intracellular Ca2+ release was also modulated by phospholipase C-coupled events.
online pharmacy ref source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12515401&dopt=Abstract
Arch Int Pharmacodyn Ther. 1991 Sep-Oct;313:108-19.
Contractile effect of endothelin-2 on the isolated human saphenous vein.
Poli E, Casoli C, Spaggiari I, Starcich R, Bertaccini G.
Institute of Pharmacology, University of Parma, Italy.
The contractile effect of endothelin-2 was investigated in isolated human saphenous vein preparations. Spare segments taken from revascularized patients were set up in isolated organ chambers and mechanical activity was recorded under isometric conditions. Endothelin-2 (10(-11)-10(-7) M) evoked a dose-dependent contractile response, having the same efficacy as noradrenaline and 100 times its potency. Conversely, the "selective" ETB agonist, C-terminal hexapeptide endothelin (16-21), was completely ineffective. The activity of endothelin-2 was not modified by phentolamine, saralasin and indomethacin, thus excluding a direct or indirect activation of alpha-adrenoceptors and angiotensin receptors as well as the synthesis of cyclooxygenase products. Calcium removal from nutrient fluid depressed, but not fully abolished, the contractile effect of endothelin-2; furthermore, calcium channel blockers, verapamil and nifedipine, produced only a partial inhibition of the endothelin-2-induced contractions. These observations suggest that endothelin-2 induces a direct activation of specific receptors in the saphenous vein muscle and that both intracellular and extracellular calcium pools may be involved in the contractile effect of the peptide.
online pharmacy ref source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=1816758&dopt=Abstract
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