Evidence against inhibition of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-pump as mechanism of H2O2-induced contraction of rat aorta.

ABSTRACT

AIM: To test whether inhibition of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+-pump is involved in H2O2-induced contraction of endothelium-denuded rat aorta. METHODS: Isometric tension recording of H2O2 and cyclopiazonic acid (CPA)-induced contractions of rat aortic rings were compared in the absence or presence of various pharmacological tools to discriminate their signaling pathways involved. RESULTS: Both H2O2 and CPA contracted rat aortic rings, but with different contractile patterns. H2O2 triggered a fast and phasic contraction, whereas CPA elicited a slow and sustained contraction. In Ca2+-free medium, pretreatment of aortic rings with CPA 30 micromol/L but not with H2O2 30 micromol/L nearly abolished phenylephrine (10 micromol/L)-induced contraction. In addition, upon the maximal contraction induced by thapsigargin 30 micromol/L, H2O2 but not CPA further contracted aortic rings. On the other hand, H2O2 (30 micromol/L)- but not CPA (10 micromol/L)-induced contraction could be inhibited by suramin and RB-2 (each 100 micromol/L), two P2-purinoceptor antagonists. Furthermore, although pretreatment with 2-APB, a membrane permeable IP3 receptor blocker, inhibited both H2O2- and CPA-induced contractions, only H2O2 (30 micromol/L)-induced contraction could be depressed, to different degree, by various inhibitors of receptor-coupled or downstream signaling enzymes, including PLC, PKC, PLA2, COX, and protein tyrosine kinases. CONCLUSION: Inhibition of smooth muscle SR Ca2+-pump is unlikely the mechanism responsible for H2O2-induced contraction of endothelium-denuded rat aorta.