HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 288/2/H729    most recent 00388.2004v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (4) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Wang, H. Articles by Fink, G. D. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Wang, H. Articles by Fink, G. D.

Endothelin in the splanchnic vascular bed of DOCA-salt hypertensive rats

Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan

Submitted 27 April 2004 ; accepted in final form 6 October 2004

Vascular capacitance is reduced by endothelin-1 (ET-1) in deoxycorticosterone (DOCA)-salt hypertensive rats. This may contribute to hypertension development. Because the splanchnic blood vessels (especially veins) are important in determining vascular capacitance, we tested the hypothesis that ET-1 levels in the splanchnic vasculature are elevated in hypertensive DOCA-salt compared with normotensive rats. Tissue ET-1 content was measured by ELISA in aorta, vena cava, superior mesenteric artery and vein, and small mesenteric arteries and veins from normotensive sham-operated (sham) and 4-wk DOCA-salt rats. We also determined ET-1 concentration in aortic and portal venous blood (draining the nonhepatic splanchnic organs) in anesthetized and conscious sham and DOCA-salt rats before and after acute blockade of ET_B receptor-mediated plasma clearance of ET-1. Results showed a higher ET-1 content in veins than in arteries of similar size. However, ET-1 content was similar in vessels from sham and DOCA-salt rats, except in aorta and superior mesenteric artery, where ET-1 content was greater in DOCA-salt rats. ET-1 concentration was significantly higher in portal venous than in aortic blood, indicating net nonhepatic splanchnic release (nNHSR) of ET-1. However, nNHSR of ET-1 was similar in sham and DOCA-salt rats. Although nNHSR of ET-1 increased significantly after ET_B receptor blockade in sham rats, it was completely unchanged in DOCA-salt rats. These data suggest that, despite the absence of ET_B receptor-mediated plasma clearance of ET-1, neither the venous peptide content nor the net release of ET-1 is increased in the splanchnic vasculature of DOCA-salt rats. These results argue against the hypothesis that increased venomotor tone in DOCA-salt hypertension is caused by increased ET-1 concentration around splanchnic venous smooth muscle cells.

endothelin-1; splanchnic vasculature; vascular capacitance; veins; deoxycorticosterone

This article has been cited by other articles:

				E. C. Viel, K. Benkirane, D. Javeshghani, R. M. Touyz, and E. L. Schiffrin Xanthine oxidase and mitochondria contribute to vascular superoxide anion generation in DOCA-salt hypertensive rats Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, July 1, 2008; 295(1): H281 - H288. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Fink, M. Li, Y. Lau, J. Osborn, and S. Watts Chronic Activation of Endothelin B Receptors: New Model of Experimental Hypertension Hypertension, September 1, 2007; 50(3): 512 - 518. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]