Opening of small and intermediate calcium-activated potassium channels induces relaxation mainly mediated by nitric-oxide release in large arteries and endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor in small arteries from rat.

This study was designed to investigate whether calcium-activated potassium channels of small (SK(Ca) or K(Ca)2) and intermediate (IK(Ca) or K(Ca)3.1) conductance activated by 6,7-dichloro-1H-indole-2,3-dione 3-oxime (NS309) are involved in both nitric oxide (NO) and endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF)-type relaxation in large and small rat mesenteric arteries. Segments of rat superior and small mesenteric arteries were mounted in myographs for functional studies. NO was recorded using NO microsensors. SK(Ca) and IK(Ca) channel currents and mRNA expression were investigated in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), and calcium concentrations were investigated in both HUVECs and mesenteric arterial endothelial cells. In both superior (∼1093 µm) and small mesenteric (∼300 µm) arteries, NS309 evoked endothelium- and concentration-dependent relaxations. In superior mesenteric arteries, NS309 relaxations and NO release were inhibited by both N(G),N(G)-asymmetric dimethyl-l-arginine (ADMA) (300 µM), an inhibitor of NO synthase, and apamin (0.5 µM) plus 1-[(2-chlorophenyl)diphenylmethyl]-1H-pyrazole (TRAM-34) (1 µM), blockers of SK(Ca) and IK(Ca) channels, respectively. In small mesenteric arteries, NS309 relaxations were reduced slightly by ADMA, whereas apamin plus an IK(Ca) channel blocker almost abolished relaxation. Iberiotoxin did not change NS309 relaxation. HUVECs expressed mRNA for SK(Ca) and IK(Ca) channels, and NS309 induced increases in calcium, outward current, and NO release that were blocked by apamin and TRAM-34 or charybdotoxin. These findings suggest that opening of SK(Ca) and IK(Ca) channels leads to endothelium-dependent relaxation that is mediated mainly by NO in large mesenteric arteries and by EDHF-type relaxation in small mesenteric arteries. NS309-induced calcium influx appears to contribute to the formation of NO.

Dual effects of adenosine on the tone of porcine retinal arterioles in vitro.

PURPOSE: Previous studies have shown that adenosine induces relaxation of isolated retinal arterioles mediated by the A2A receptor, but the contributions to tone regulation of adenosine receptors located both in and around the vascular wall have not been studied in detail. METHODS: Porcine retinal arterioles with preserved perivascular retinal tissue were mounted in a wire myograph, and the tone was recorded after addition of antagonists to the adenosine A1, A2A, A2B, and A3 receptors, followed by removal of the perivascular retinal tissue and repetition of the experiments. Additionally, these responses were studied in concentration-response experiments using specific agonists. RESULTS: Adenosine induced a significant concentration-dependent relaxation at high concentrations that was independent of the perivascular retinal tissue and could be antagonized by the nonspecific adenosine receptor antagonist 8-PSPT. The selective A2A receptor antagonist SCH 58261 and the A2B receptor antagonist MRS 1754 significantly antagonized the relaxing effect of adenosine. Conversely, the selective A1 receptor antagonist KW-3902 and the A3 receptor antagonist MRS 1523 significantly increased the relaxing effect of adenosine, and the corresponding agonists contracted retinal arterioles at intermediate concentrations. The contracting effect of the A1 receptor agonist but not the A3 receptor antagonist depended on the presence of perivascular retinal tissue. CONCLUSIONS: Adenosine has complex effects on retinal vascular tone elicited both from the vascular wall and from the perivascular retina and with receptors mediating contraction at intermediate concentrations and relaxation at high concentration.