Summary
An important role of endothelium-dependent relaxation in the local regulation of vascular tone has been suggested. In the present study, the effect of hypoxia on endothelium-dependent relaxation was investigated in canine and rabbit basilar and in rabbit common carotid arteriesin vitro, using an isometric tension recording method. Hypoxia was introduced by changing the gas mixture in thein vitro chamber from 95% O2-5% CO2 to 95% N2-5% CO2. Thrombin and acetylcholine were used to induce endothelium-dependent relaxation.
Thrombin at 0.1 and 1.0U/ml, respectively, caused dose-dependent relaxation of the canine basilar artery precontracted by 10−6M prostaglandin F2α. Acetylcholine also evoked dose-dependent relaxation of rabbit basilar and common carotid arteries precontracted by serotonin. Under hypoxic conditions, the relaxing effect of thrombin or acetylcholine decreased both in canine and in rabbit arteries, although it was not significant in rabbit basilar arteries.
It has been postulated that following subarachnoid haemorrhage, diffusion of oxygen to the walls of the major cerebral arteries might be impaired by the subarachnoid clot. This could cause hypoxia of the arteries and contribute to vasospasm by suppressing endothelium-dependent relaxation, as well as by enhancing the contractile responses of the cerebral arteries to the vasoconstrictor agents in the bloody cerebrospinal fluid.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Burnstock G, Kennedy C (1986) A dual function for adenosine 5-triphosphate in the regulation of vascular tone. Circ Res 58: 319–330
Chand N, Altura BM (1981) Acetylcholine and bradykinin relax intrapulmonary arteries by acting on endothelial cells: Role in lung vascular disease. Science 213: 1376–1379
Cocks TM, Angus JA, Campbell JH (1985) Release and properties of endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) from endothelial cells in culture. J Cell Biol 123: 310–320
De Mey JG, Vanhoutte PM (1978) Oxygen-dependency of the acetylcholine induced relaxation in vascular smooth muscle. Arch Int Pharmacodyn Ther 234: 339
De Mey JG, Vanhoutte PM (1980) Interaction between Na+, K+ exchanges and the directory inhibitory effect of acetylcholine on canine femoral arteries. Circ Res 46: 826–836
De Mey JG, Vanhoutte PM (1982) Heterogeneous behavior of the canine arterial and venous wall: Importance of the endothelium. Circ Res 51: 439–447
De Mey JG, Vanhoutte PM (1983) Anoxia and endothelium-dependent reactivity of the canine femoral artery. J Physiol 335: 65–74
Fujiwara S, Kassell NF, Sasaki T, Nakagomi T, Lehman RM (1986) Selective hemoglobin inhibition of endothelium-dependent vasodilation of rabbit basilar artery. J Neurosurg 64: 445–452
Furchgott RF, Zawadzki JV (1980) The obligatory role of endothelial cells in the relaxation of arterial smooth muscle by acetylcholine. Nature 288: 373–376
Furchgott RF (1983) Role of endothelium in responses of vascular smooth muscle. Circ Res 53: 557–573
Griffith TM, Edwards DH, Lewis MJ, Newby AC, Henderson AH (1984) The nature of endothelium-derived vascular relaxant factor. Nature 308: 645–647
Hughes JT, Schianchi PM (1978) Cerebral artery spasm. A histological study at necropsy of the blood vessels in cases of subarachnoid hemorrhage. J Neurosurg 48: 515–525
Liszczak TM, Varsos VG, Black PM, Kistler JP, Zervas NT (1983) Cerebral arterial constriction after experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage is associated with blood components within the arterial wall. J Neurosurg 58: 18–26
Nakagomi T, Kassell NF, Sasaki T, Fujiwara S, Lehman RM, Johshita H, Nazar GB, Torner JC (1987) Effect of subarachnoid hemorrhage on endothelium-dependent vasodilation. J Neurosurg 66: 915–923
Nakagomi T, Kassell NF, Sasaki T, Fujiwara S, Lehman RM, Johshita H, Torner JC (1987) Effect of hypoxia on the contractile response to KCl, prostaglandin F2α, and hemoglobin. J Neurosurg 67: 565–572
Palmar RMJ, Ferrige AG, Moncada S (1987) Nitric oxide release accounts for the biological activity of endothelium-derived relaxing factor. Nature 327: 524–526
Peterson JN, Bun T, Zervas NT: Plasma born vasoactivity and modulation by the endothelium as determinants of cerebral vascular tone: Possible role during cerebral vasospasm. Proceedings of the 15th Conference on Cerebrovascular Disease. Raven Press, New York (in press)
Rosenblum WI (1986) Endothelial dependent relaxation demonstratedin vivo in cerebral arterioles. Stroke 17: 494–497
Rubanyi GM, Vanhoutte PM (1985) Hypoxia releases a vasoconstrictor substance from the canine vascular endothelium. J Physiol 364: 45–56
Vanhoutte PM, Miller VM (1985) Heterogeneity of endothelium-dependent responses in mammalian blood vessels. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol 7: S 12-S 23
Van Nueten JM, De Ridder W, Van Beek J (1982) Hypoxia and spasms in the cerebral vasculature. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2: S 29-S 31
Zervas NT, Liszczak TM, Mayberg MR, Black PM (1982) Cerebrospinal fluid may nourish cerebral vessels through pathways in the adventitia that may be analogous to systemic vaso vasorum. J Neurosurg 56: 475–481
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Nakagomi, T., Kassell, N.F., Sasaki, T. et al. Effect of hypoxia on endothelium-dependent relaxation of canine and rabbit basilar arteries. Acta neurochir 97, 77–82 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01577744
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01577744