Hiroaki Shimokawa

Impaired endothelium-dependent relaxation to aggregating platelets and related vasoactive substances in porcine coronary arteries in hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis.

Vasoconstrictor responses are augmented in porcine coronary arteries in hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis, leading to an occurrence of coronary vasospasm in the latter condition. The role of the endothelium in the vascular hyperreactivity in hypercholesterolemic and atherosclerotic coronary arteries was examined, particularly in response to aggregating platelets and related vasoactive substances. Male Yorkshire pigs underwent balloon endothelial denudation of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) and 2percent; high-cholesterol feeding for 10 weeks. Electron microscopic examination demonstrated a full lining of endothelial cells in the LAD and the left circumflex coronary artery (LCX). Endothelium-dependent responses were examined in vitro. In cholesterol-fed animals, endothelium-dependent relaxations to aggregating platelets, serotonin, ADP, bradykinin, thrombin, and the calcium ionophore A23187 were depressed in LAD (atherosclerosis), while the relaxations to aggregating platelets, serotonin and ADP were depressed in LCX (hypercholesterolemia). Serotonin-induced contractions were endotheliumdependentiy augmented in atherosclerotic LAD; the endothelium-dependent component of the contractions was inhibited by blockers of cyclooxygenase. Bioassay studies demonstrated a depressed release of endothelium-derived relaxing factors) from the atherosclerotic LAD in response to serotonin. These experiments indicate that the endothelium-dependent relaxations to aggregating platelets and related vasoactive substances are severely unpaired in atherosclerosis and moderately impaired in hypercholesterolemia. Since coronary atherosclerosis was induced by a combination of balloon endothelial injury (and regeneration) and high-cholesterol feeding in this study, the combined effects of those factors must account for the severely impaired responses in atherosclerosis. The depressed release of the endothelium-derived relaxing factoids) and the concomitant release of vasoconstrictor product(s) of cyclooxygenase appear to be responsible for the impaired relaxations.

Endothelium-derived relaxing factor and coronary vasospasm.

The endothelium releases the powerful vasodilator and antiaggregatory substance, EDRF, both under basal conditions and upon stimulation by a wide variety of agents. Endothelial injury or dysfunction may play an important role in the spasmogenicity of the coronary artery, although other possible alterations related to atherosclerosis should also be considered. Among the possible stimuli, aggregating platelets are important as a source of vasoconstrictor substances. The endothelium may also produce the vasoactive substances EDHF and EDCF(s). Their pathophysiologic significance remains to be determined.

Porcine coronary arteries with regenerated endothelium have a reduced endothelium-dependent responsiveness to aggregating platelets and serotonin.

To test the ability of regenerated endothelium to evoke endothelium-dependent relaxations, male Yorkshire pigs underwent balloon endothelial denudation of the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery. Endothelium-dependent responses were examined in vitro, in rings of coronary segments taken from the denuded area or from the proximal left circumflex coronary artery. The experiments were performed 8 days or 4 weeks after the denudation. Endothelial regrowth was confirmed by histologic examination 8 days after the denudation and by demonstrating the presence of endothelium-dependent relaxations to bradykinin; at that time aggregating platelets evoked normal endothelium-dependent responses. However, 4 weeks after the denudation, the relaxations to aggregating platelets were markedly depressed although continuous endothelial lining was present, and the endothelium-dependent responses to bradykinin, adenosine diphosphate, the Ca2+-ionophore A23187, platelet activating factor, and thrombin were unaltered. Four weeks after denudation, endothelium-dependent relaxations to serotonin were depressed. Higher concentration of serotonin induced endothelium-dependent contractions in quiescent rings with regenerated endothelium, suggesting that regenerated endothelial cells may produce endothelium-derived constricting factor(s) and release less endothelium-derived relaxing factor(s) when exposed to the monoamine. The endothelium-dependent relaxation to serotonin was not reduced by the S2-serotonergic antagonist ketanserin but prevented by the combined S1- and S2-serotonergic blocker methiothepin. The platelet-induced relaxation was due to released serotonin and adenine nucleotides in control left circumflex coronary arteries, but in left anterior descending coronary artery with regenerated endothelium, it was due solely to the latter. The platelet-induced contractions were due to activation of receptors on the smooth muscle cells. Four weeks after denudation, regenerated endothelial cells were morphologically different from native cells; they were elongated and cuboidal, and the number of the cells had increased twofold. At this state, eccentric myointimal thickening was present in the previously denuded portion. These experiments indicate that the protective role of endothelial cells against the vasoconstriction induced by aggregating platelets is depressed in the chronic regenerated state. A lack of responsiveness to serotonin appears to be the cause for the endothelial dysfunction.

Effects of dietary supplementation with cod-liver oil on endothelium-dependent responses in porcine coronary arteries.

To study the effect of dietary supplementation with fish oil on endothelium-dependent responses, Yorkshire pigs were maintained on a normal diet or on a low (0.6 ml/kg/day) or a high (1.0 ml/kg/day) dose of cod-liver oil for 4 weeks. Endothelium-dependent responses were examined in vitro in rings of proximal left anterior descending coronary arteries taken from control and treated animals studied in parallel. Endothelium-dependent relaxations in response to bradykinin, serotonin, adenosine diphosphate, and thrombin were facilitated in arteries from treated but not in those from control animals, whereas the relaxations in response to A23187 were unaltered. The facilitated relaxations were not altered by indomethacin but significantly inhibited by methylene blue. Aggregating platelets from control and treated pigs induced comparable, facilitated endothelium-dependent relaxations in rings taken from treated pigs. The platelet-induced contractions were significantly reduced in rings with endothelium taken from treated pigs, and they were comparable in rings without endothelium in both groups. Aggregating platelets from control and treated pigs released comparable amounts of serotonin and thromboxane A2. Endothelium-dependent relaxations induced by arachidonic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid were unaltered, whereas transient endothelium-dependent contractions induced by arachidonic acid were significantly reduced by the treatment with cod-liver oil. Relaxations to sodium nitroprusside or isoproterenol,and contractions to potassium chloride or serotonin were not different in rings without endothelium from control or treated pigs. These results indicate that dietary supplementation with cod-liver oil facilitates endothelium-dependent relaxations and inhibits endothelium-dependent contractions in porcine coronary arteries.

Natural course of the impairment of endothelium-dependent relaxations after balloon endothelium removal in porcine coronary arteries. Possible dysfunction of a pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein.

The purposes of the present study were to examine the natural course of the impairment of endothelium-dependent relaxations during a regeneration and tissue repair process after balloon endothelium removal and to elucidate the cellular mechanism(s) underlying it. Twenty-three male Yorkshire pigs underwent balloon endothelium removal along the proximal portion of either the left anterior descending or circumflex coronary artery and were then maintained on a regular chow for 4, 8,16, or 24 weeks. Endothelium-dependent responses were examined in vitro in rings taken from the control and previously denuded arteries studied in parallel. Morphometric analysis revealed that intimal thickening developed only at the previously denuded area. In the previously denuded arteries with regenerated endothelium, the endothelium-dependent relaxations to UK 14304 (a selective Oj-adrenergic agonist), serotonin, and aggregating platelets were impaired 4 weeks after endothelium removal and remained so throughout the study. The endothelium-dependent relaxations to thrombin and adenosine diphosphate became depressed 8 weeks after endothelium removal and those to bradykinin became depressed 16 weeks after endothelium removal, while those to the calcium ionophore A23187 were maintained throughout the study. Endothelium-dependent relaxations to all vasoactive agents were unaltered in the control arteries. In the control arteries, pertussis toxin, an inhibitor of certain G proteins, markedly inhibited the endothelium-dependent relaxations to UK 14304 and serotonin and partially inhibited those to thrombin and aggregating platelets. The responses inhibited by the toxin in control arteries were significantly reduced in the previously denuded arteries with regenerated endothelium. The inhibitory effect of pertussis toxin was markedly reduced in those arteries with regenerated endothelium. In quiescent rings, the presence of normal endothelium inhibited the contractions caused by serotonin and aggregating platelets; this endothelium-dependent depression was markedly impaired in the previously denuded arteries throughout the study. Direct relaxation of the coronary smooth muscle to nitric oxide or sodium nitroprusside or direct contraction to KC1 or serotonin were comparable between the control and previously denuded arteries. These experiments indicate that endothelium-dependent relaxations progressively worsen after regeneration of the endothelium and that the dysfunction of a pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein partly account for the endothelial dysfunction in the chronic regenerated state.

Pertussis toxin inhibits endothelium-dependent relaxations to certain agonists in porcine coronary arteries.

1. Pertussis toxin inactivates Gi‐protein, which mediates the inhibitory effects of receptors on adenylate cyclase. The effects of the toxin on endothelium‐dependent and independent relaxations were determined in porcine coronary arteries. 2. Arterial rings (with and without endothelium) were suspended for isometric tension recording in organ chambers filled with modified Krebs‐Ringer bicarbonate solution (maintained at 37 degrees C, gassed with 95% O2 and 5% CO2). 3. Incubation of the tissues with pertussis toxin (100 ng/ml for 60 min) virtually abolished the endothelium‐dependent relaxations produced by the alpha 2‐adrenergic agonist, UK 14304, and by 5‐hydroxytryptamine. Endothelium‐dependent relaxations to thrombin and to aggregating platelets were markedly reduced, whereas those produced by bradykinin were only minimally affected. Endothelium‐dependent responses produced by the calcium ionophore (A23187) and by adenosine diphosphate were not altered by pertussis toxin. 4. Pertussis toxin did not affect the direct, endothelium‐independent relaxations produced by nitric oxide, or by adenosine diphosphate. 5. These experiments demonstrate that pertussis toxin interferes with the release of endothelium‐derived relaxing factor(s) evoked by certain, but not all, endothelial activators. The release of endothelium‐derived relaxing factor(s) may occur through different pathways involving Gi‐protein‐dependent and independent mechanisms.

Prostacyclin releases endothelium-derived relaxing factor and potentiates its action in coronary arteries of the pig.

1 The possible interactions between prostacyclin and endothelium‐derived relaxing factor were examined, in isolated coronary arteries of the pig treated with indomethacin (10−5 m). 2 In organ chamber experiments, prostacyclin caused relaxations, which were potentiated in the presence of the endothelium; the potentiation was abolished by oxyhaemoglobin. 3 In bioassay experiments, prostacyclin caused minimal relaxations of bioassay rings without endothelium; these relaxations were potentiated when the bioassay ring was exposed to basally‐released endothelium‐derived relaxing factor (interaction between prostacyclin and basal endothelium‐derived relaxing factor) and further augmented when the endothelial cells were exposed to the prostanoid (stimulated release of endothelium‐derived relaxing factor). The endothelium‐dependent, but not the direct effects of prostacyclin were augmented by superoxide dismutase plus catalase and abolished by oxyhaemoglobin. 4 Forskolin, a direct activator of adenylate cyclase, caused relaxations of rings without endothelium, which were augmented by the presence of the endothelium. 5 The relaxations induced by prostacyclin or forskolin also had an endothelium‐dependent component in basilar and femoral arteries and in jugular veins of the pig. 6 The endothelium‐dependent actions of prostacyclin probably reflect activation of adenylate cyclase.

Hypercholesterolemia causes generalized impairment of endothelium-dependent relaxation to aggregating platelets in porcine arteries

The role of the endothelium in response to aggregating platelets was examined in porcine coronary and peripheral (carotid, femoral and renal) arteries from normal and hypercholesterolemic pigs. Male Yorkshire pigs were fed either a normal diet or a 2% high cholesterol diet for 10 weeks. Endothelium-dependent responses were examined in vitro. In all arteries from control animals, aggregating platelets caused endothelium-dependent relaxations, which were augmented by ketanserin (a 5-HT2-serotonergic blocker), attenuated by apyrase (an adenosine diphosphatase and triphosphatase) or methiothepin (a combined 5-HT1 and 5-HT2-serotonergic blocker) and were almost abolished by a combination of apyrase and methiothepin. The platelet-induced relaxations were most pronounced in the coronary arteries. Adenosine diphosphate caused endothelium-dependent relaxations, which were significantly attenuated by apyrase. Serotonin also caused endothelium-dependent relaxations, which were significantly attenuated by methiothepin but augmented by ketanserin. The endothelium-dependent relaxations to adenosine diphosphate were most pronounced in coronary arteries and those to serotonin in coronary and renal arteries. In cholesterol-fed animals, the endothelium-dependent relaxations to aggregating platelets, adenosine diphosphate and serotonin were impaired in all four arteries. These experiments indicate that 1) the endothelium exerts inhibitory effects against aggregating platelets in porcine coronary and peripheral arteries; 2) platelet-induced endothelium-dependent relaxations are achieved by purinergic and 5-HT1-serotonergic receptors on the endothelium; and 3) hypercholesterolemia reduces the endothelium-dependent relaxations to aggregating platelets in a generalized manner because it impairs the relaxations to adenosine diphosphate and serotonin released from the platelets.

Endothelium-dependent relaxation to aggregating platelets in isolated basilar arteries of control and hypercholesterolemic pigs.

The role of the endothelium was examined in the response to aggregating platelets in cerebral arteries from normal and hypercholesterolemic animals. Male Yorkshire pigs were fed either a normal diet or a 2% high-cholesterol diet for 10 weeks. Endothelium-dependent responses were examined in vitro. In rings of basilar arteries from control animals aggregating platelets caused endothelium-dependent relaxations, which were significantly inhibited by apyrase, an adenosine diphosphatase and triphosphatase, but were augmented by methiothepin, a combined S1- and S2-serotonergic blocker. In quiescent rings platelets induced contractions that were inhibited by the presence of the endothelium; these contractions were significantly inhibited by methiothepin, but not by ketanserin (an S2-serotonergic blocker) or dazoxiben (a thromboxanesynthetase blocker) in the presence or absence of SQ29548 (a thromboxane-receptor blocker). Adenosine diphosphate but not serotonin caused endothelium-dependent relaxations. In cholesterol-fed animals the endothelium-dependent relaxations in response to aggregating platelets and adenosine diphosphate were impaired. These experiments indicate that 1) the endothelium Inhibits the vasoconstrictor effect of aggregating platelets in porcine cerebral arteries; 2) platelet-induced relaxations are achieved mainly by a purinergic mechanism, while platelet-induced contractions are mediated by activation of S1-serotonergic receptors with little contribution of thromboxanes; and 3) hypercholesterolemia impairs the endothelium-dependent relaxations in response to aggregating platelets due to the impaired responses to adenosine diphosphate.

Endothelium-dependent inhibition of ergonovine-induced contraction is impaired in porcine coronary arteries with regenerated endothelium.

The inhibitory effects of the endothelium against ergonovine-induced contraction were examined in isolated porcine coronary arteries under normal conditions and after endothelial regeneration. Endothelium-dependent responses were examined in vitro in normal Yorkshire pigs (n = 16) and in pigs that had undergone balloon endothelium removal of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) 4 weeks before the study (n = 10). The presence of a complete endothelial lining was confirmed histologically. In rings from normal arteries contracted with prostaglandin F2 alpha in the presence of indomethacin and ketanserin (a 5-HT2-serotonergic blocker), ergonovine caused endothelium-dependent relaxations. They were attenuated by rauwolscine (an alpha 2-adrenergic blocker), inhibited by methiothepin (a combined 5-HT1- and 5-HT2-serotonergic blocker) or by pertussis toxin (an inhibitor of several G proteins) and abolished by oxyhemoglobin (a selective inactivator of endothelium-derived relaxing factor). In quiescent rings from normal arteries, ergonovine caused contractions that were inhibited by the presence of the endothelium; this endothelium-dependent inhibition was abolished by oxyhemoglobin. The direct contractions were not affected by prazosin (an alpha 1-adrenergic blocker), rauwolscine, 6-hydroxydopamine (an agent causing chemical sympathetectomy), or diphenhydramine (an H1-histaminergic blocker) but were inhibited by ketanserin. In rings with regenerated endothelium contracted with prostaglandin F2 alpha, the endothelium-dependent relaxations to ergonovine were reduced significantly and were not inhibited by pertussis toxin. In quiescent rings with regenerated endothelium, the endothelium-dependent inhibition of ergonovine-induced contraction was less.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)