Cardiovascular effects of endothelin

Endothelin(ET), a potent and long-lasting vasoconstrictor peptide, may play an important role in the control of blood flow and the regulation of organ functions. To evaluate a functional role of ET in a cardiovascular system, we investigated the effects of ET on coronary flow and myocardial contract...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Japanese Journal of Pharmacology 1990, Vol.52 (suppl-1.1), p.218-218
Main Authors: Kumpei Kobayashi, Minoru Saito, Takuji Kawashima
Format: Article
Language:Japanese
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Summary:Endothelin(ET), a potent and long-lasting vasoconstrictor peptide, may play an important role in the control of blood flow and the regulation of organ functions. To evaluate a functional role of ET in a cardiovascular system, we investigated the effects of ET on coronary flow and myocardial contractility in isovolumic working guinea pig hearts. Infusion of ET(1nM) resulted in dose-dependent decrements in coronary flow and depression of myocardial contractility. Infusions of various vasoactive substances, adenosine(1μM), sodium nitroprusside(10μM), verapamil(10μM), and indomethacin(50μM) were administered before and after an infusion of ET. Indomethacin, a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, attenuated the ET-induced coronary vasoconstrictions and reductions of the contractility dose-dependently whereas adenosine and sodium nitroprusside did not. Verapamil partially inhibited the vasoconstrictor activity. After an infusion of ET, the ET response and depression of the contractility were completely reversed by infusion of indomethacin. These results indicate that cyclooxygenase products may be involved in the mechanism of ET-induced coronary vasoconstriction in the working hearts.
ISSN:0021-5198