Abstract
We studied the amplitude and response time (RT; time to 50% of maximal response) of pulmonary vasoreactivity and investigated whether the characteristics of pulmonary vasoreactivity could be modulated by endothelium removal, nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibition [N G-nitro-Larginine (L-NNA)], RhoA activation [lysophosphatidic acid (LPA)] and Rho kinase inhibition (Y-27632). Slow acetylcholine-induced pulmonary vasodilation (262 ± 5 s) was not due to the RT of endothelial NO release (45-55 s) and was always longer than RT in renal arteries (15 ± 4 s). The rate-determining step is located in the smooth muscle cells. This was confirmed by the existing differences between the RT of the NO solution and KCl-induced renal and pulmonary vasoreactivity in endothelium-denuded arteries. We found that the pulmonary contractile amplitude increases and the RT decreases by L-NNA or LPA. In contrast, Y-27632 reduced the contractile amplitude and increased the RT in pulmonary arteries. These phenomena were dependent on the contractile stimulus (phenylephrine or KCl). In conclusion, slow pulmonary vasoreactivity is a smooth muscle cell characteristic that can be enhanced by RhoA and NO or endothelium removal. These effects were counteracted by Rho kinase inhibition. We show a role for RhoA/Rho kinase and NO in the modulation of pulmonary vascular reactivity.
Original language | English |
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Journal | American Journal of Physiology - Heart and Circulatory Physiology |
Volume | 282 |
Issue number | 3 51-3 |
Publication status | Published - 29 Jun 2002 |
Keywords
- Amplitude of constriction
- Endothelium
- Nitric oxide electrode
- Response time