Age-associated changes in large blood vessels were characterized by increased arterial wall thickness, luminal dilation and impaired endothelial function. But little is known about the effect of age on structural and functional changes in small resistance arteries. The mechanisms underlying age-associated endothelial dysfunction in rat mesenteric resistance arteries were investigated in the present study. Small rat mesenteric arteries were excised and cannulated, and vascular endothelial functions were tested by acetylcholine (ACh). Our experiments showed (1) endotheliumdependent vasorelaxation induced by ACh was reduced in aged mesenteric arteries; (2) blockade of Kca channels markedly reduced the vasodilation in young and adult rats, the resultant reduction in aged rats was much smaller compared with young and adult rats; (3) inhibition of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS) resulted in a significant reduction of vasodilation in young and adult, but there was a smaller reduction in aged rats. The results suggest that (1) endothelial function was impaired in mesenteric arteries of aged rats; (2) both Kca channels and nitric oxide (NO) contribute together to the ACh-induced vasorelaxation in small mesenteric arteries, and (3) both the impairment of Kca channel function and decreased NO account for the age-related endothelial dysfunction., E. Zhou, D. Qing, J. Li., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
Despite the fact that vessels have sparse cholinergic innervation, acetylcholine (ACh), the primary neurotransmitter of parasympathetic nervous system, has been commonly used in physiological experiments to assess vascular function. ACh is hydrolyzed by two cholinesterases (ChE), namely acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). However, little is known about these enzymes in blood vessels. The aim of the project was to characterize the expression and activity of ChE in rat aorta. As the effect of ACh on vascular tone depends on the presence of endothelium, Wistar rats were used as a model with intact endothelium and spontaneously hypertensive rats as a model of impaired endothelial function. Relative expressions of both ChE in different parts of the aorta were determined using RT-qPCR. Enzyme activities were assessed in tissue homogenates by Ellman's assay. Here we showed that both ChE are present in each part of rat aorta, while mRNA is more abundant for BChE than for AChE, irrespective of aortic compartment or genotype. Normotensive Wistar rats possess higher aortic mRNA expression and activity of BChE compared to SHR. We concluded that BChE is the dominant type of ChE in rat aorta and it might play an important role in the regulation of vascular tone., Kristína Szmicseková, Lenka Bies Piváčková, Zuzana Kiliánová, Ľubica Slobodová, Peter Křenek, Anna Hrabovská., and Obsahuje bibliografii
NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) is a non-specific nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor, commonly used for the induction of NO-deficient hypertension. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of chronic low-dose administration of L-NAME on NO production, vascular function and structure of the heart and selected arteries of rats. Adult male Wistar rats were treated with L-NAME in the dose of approximately 1.5 mg/kg/day in drinking water for 8 weeks. Basal blood pressure (BP) of rats (determined by tail-cuff) was 112±3 mm Hg. The low-dose administration of L-NAME significantly elevated BP measured on the third and sixth week of treatment vs. controls by approximately 9 % and 12 %, respectively. After this period, BP of L-NAME-treated rats returned to the control values. The relative left ventricular mass, heart fibrosis and collagen III/collagen I ratio were not affected by L-NAME. Similarly, there were no alterations in the cross-sectional area and wall thickness/diameter ratio of the aorta and the femoral artery of LNAME- treated rats. NO synthase activity (determined by conversion of [3H]-L-arginine to [3H]-L-citrulline) was not altered in the hypothalamus of L-NAME-treated rats. Interestingly, chronic low-dose L-NAME treatment significantly elevated NO synthase activity in the left ventricle and aorta, increased endothelium-dependent acetylcholine-induced vasorelaxation and reduced serotonin-induced vasoconstriction of the femoral artery. The data suggest that chronic lowdose L-NAME treatment can increase NO production and vasorelaxation in normotensive rats without negative structural changes in the cardiovascular system., I. Bernátová, J. Kopincová, A. Púzserová, P. Janega, P. Babál., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The aim of this study was to investigate whether the inhibition of one of the endothelial receptor sites in the rat pulmonary artery (muscarinic, histaminergic, purinergic, a 2-adrenergic) affects the NO-mediated relaxation induced by the activation of the other type of receptors. Acetylcholine (ACh)-, histamine (Hist)-, adenosine (Ade)- , and clonidine (Clon)-induced endothelium-dependent relaxations were reduced by the administration of specific antagonists of muscarinic, H1-histaminergic, purinergic or a 2-adrenergic receptors, respectively. The inhibition of H1-histaminergic receptors by chlorphenyramine did not prevent ACh-induced relaxation. Similarly, the inhibition of muscarinic receptors by atropine did not prevent the relaxations to histamine, adenosine and clonidine. On the other hand, the relaxations induced by acetylcholine, histamine, adenosine or clonidine were regularly reduced by NO-synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (10-4 mol/l). These results suggest that the inhibition of NO-synthase abolished arterial relaxations induced by all agonists. After inhibition of one type of the endothelial receptors, the NO-dependent relaxation could still be evoked by activation of one of the others., S. Kyselá, J. Török., and Obsahuje bibliografii
At frog neuromuscular junction, noradrenaline (NA) shortens the release period for evoked quantal release acting on a b 1 receptor. To test the hypothesis that this action of NA is mediated by cAMP, we measured the latencies of focally recorded uni-quantal endplate currents (EPCs) after application of dibutyryl-cAMP (db-cAMP) and adenylyl cyclase activator, forskolin. The interval between the time when responses with minimal delay appeared and the point at which 90 % of all latencies had occurred (P90 parameter) was shortened in the presence of both 1x10-6 mol/l db-cAMP and 1x10-6 mol/l forskolin by about 30 %. The cAMP-induced shortening is equal to that found after application of NA and effects of both drugs are not additive., E. Bukcharaeva, D. Samigullin, E. E. Nikolsky, F. Vyskočil., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Derivative of 6-methyluracil, selective cholinesterase inhibitor C-547 potentiates miniature endplate currents (MEPCs) in rat external intercostal muscles (external ICM) more effectively than in internal intercostal muscles (internal ICM). Effect of the C-547 on intercostal muscles was compared with those on extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and diaphragm muscles. Half-effective concentrations for τ of MEPC decay arranged in increasing order were as follows: EDL, locomotor muscle, most sensitive = 1.3 nM, external ICM, inspiration muscle = 6.8 nM, diaphragm, main inspiration muscle = 28 nM, internal ICM, expiration muscle = 71 nM. External ICM might therefore be inhibited, similarly as the limb muscles, by nanomolar concentrations of the drug and do not participate in inspiration in the presence of the C-547. Moreover, internal ICM inhibition can hinder the expiration during exercise-induced fast breathing of C-547-treated experimental animals., K. Petrov ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
This study examined nitric oxide (NO) production, oxidative load and endothelium-dependent rela xation (NO-depe ndent and NO-independent) in adult male borderline hypertensive (BHR) and spontaneously hypertensive (S HR) rats as compared to normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. Systolic blood pressure (BP) was determined by tail-cuff. NO production was determined by conversion of [3 H]-L-arginine. Conjugated dienes (CD) and concentrations of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) were measured for assessment of oxidative load. Vascular function was investigated in ri ngs of the femoral artery (FA) using a wire myograph. BP of WKY, BHR and SHR was 106 ± 2, 143 ± 3 and 191 ± 3 mm Hg, respectively (p<0.01 for each). Significant left ventricle (LV) hy pertrophy and elevated levels of CD and TBARS in the LV were present in BHR and SHR as compared to WKY. NO production was elevated significantly in the aorta of BHR and SHR vs. WKY as well as in the LV of SHR vs. WKY. Acetylcholine (ACh)-induced relaxation of the FA was reduced significantly in both BHR and SHR vs. WKY. The NO-dependent component of ACh-induced relaxation had increasing tendency in hypertensive groups and it correlated positively with BP. The NO-independent component of vasorelaxation was reduced significantly in BHR and SHR vs. WKY and it correlated negatively with BP. In conclusion, the results showed that endothelial dysfunction in the experimental model of borderline hypertensive and hypertensive rats is NO-independent. The results suggest that borderline hypertension represents a risk of other cardiovascular disorders wh ich is qualitatively similar to that of fully developed hypertension., A. Púzserová ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
The purpose of this study was to determine the relaxant effects of acetylcholine after inhibition of vascular histaminergic receptors. In isolated rings of the rat pulmonary artery precontracted by phenylephrine (10~5 mol/1) both histamine (10-7 to 10-4 mol/1) and acetylcholine (10-8 to 3xl0-5 mol/1) produced concentration-dependent relaxations. The arterial relaxations induced by either histamine or acetylcholine were markedly reduced or abolished by administration of NO synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (10“5 mol/1). Relaxant responses to histamine were not influenced by cimetidine, histamine H2-receptor antagonist, but were significantly decreased or abolished by treatment with chlorphenyramine or diphenhydramine, histamine Hi-receptor antagonists. On the other hand, chlorphenyramine and diphenhydramine did not prevent the appearance of endothelium-dependent relaxation to acetylcholine. The results suggest that relaxation to histamine in the rat pulmonary artery is mediated by Hi-histaminergic receptors and their inactivation docs not interfere with the endothelial capability to produce and/or release nitric oxide by the activation of other types of receptors.
Numerous studies concerning the cardiovascular system in SHR often yield controversial data. The background of this diversity has various roots, ranging from different vascular segments or areas studied up to the different age of experimental animals. Our study aimed to follow the BP as an integrated response of vascular system. This approach was justified since stabilized cardiac output in SHR was proved till 1 year of age. The groups of male SHR (aged 3, 5, 9, 17 and 52 weeks) and age-matched Wistar rats were used. Significant basal BP difference between SHR and Wistar rats was found at 9 weeks of age and continued till the age of 52 weeks, reaching 189.6±11.9 mm Hg in SHR and 117.3±6.9 mm Hg in Wistar rats (P<0.01). The significant difference in BP increase to two doses of noradrenaline (0.1μg and 1 μg) between SHR and control rats was also found at the age of 9 weeks. At 52 weeks the BP increment to two doses of noradrenaline was in SHR 19.7±2.0 mm Hg and 60.5±3.9 mm Hg and in Wistar rats 7.4±1.9 mm Hg and 40.5±3.2 mm Hg (P<0.01). The hypotensive response to acetylcholine (0.1 μg, 1 μg and 10 μ) in SHR was enhanced at 17 weeks of age only and this amplification persisted till the age of 52 weeks. In 52-week-old SHR the hypotensive response to three doses was 69.9±10.2 mm Hg, 87.5±11.8 mm Hg and 103.4±10.6 mm Hg, while in Wistar rats it was 37.4 4.2 mm Hg P<0.0), 62.3±3.5 mm Hg (P<0.01) and 73.5±2.8 mm Hg (P<0.05). In conclusion, the efficiency of cardiovascular system of SHR to respond to noradrenaline was already enhanced from 9 weeks of age, whereas the response to acetylcholine was not augmented before the age of 17 weeks., M. Gerová, F. Kristek., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické údaje
Uni-quantal endplate currents (EPCs) were recorded extracellularly at the frog neuromuscular synapse and their latency dispersions expressed as P90 were estimated in the presence of acetylcholine. Stimulation-evoked EPCs with long release latencies increased in number when acetylcholine was applied. P90, which is designated as the interval between the minimal synaptic delay and the time at which 90 % of all measured uni-quantal EPCs had occurred, was significantly and reversibly increased by 66% from 0.51 ms to 0.85 ms in the presence of 5x10-4 M acetylcholine. This indicates that the evoked release pattern is less synchronous and the increased asynchrony leads to a substantial drop (by 28%) in the amplitude of reconstructed multi-quantal currents., D. Samigullin, E. A. Bukharaeva, E. Nikolsky, S. Adámek, F. Vyskočil., and Obsahuje bibliografii