Differential effects of short-term ace- and AT1-receptor inhibition on postischemic injury and leukocyte adherence in vivo and in vitro.

There is recent evidence that angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition reduces postischemic injury and angiotensin II receptor inhibition may have similar effects. We therefore further characterized the role of ACE- vs. AT1-receptor inhibition on cell injury and temporal association of leukocyte endothelial interaction in response to ischemia-reperfusion. A combined in vivo and in vitro study comparing the ACE inhibitor enalapril and the AT1-receptor antagonist losartan was performed. The extent and temporal correlation of cellular damage (propidium-iodide staining), microvascular perfusion failure and leukocyte-endothelial interaction (leukocyte adherence) were investigated by means of intravital microscopy, after the application of hemodynamically ineffective doses of enalapril and losartan (5 mg/kg). A hamster dorsal skinfold model with a 4-h tourniquet ischemia was used. In vitro, the effect of enalapril and losartan on polymorphonuclear cell (PMN) adherence, as well as adhesion molecule expression (ICAM-1, VCAM-1), on hypoxia- or IL-1beta-stimulated endothelial cells (HUVEC) was assessed using a PMN-adhesion assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Ischemia-reperfusion responses revealed a biphasic pattern, comprised of an early phase (30 min) of acute cellular damage and microvascular perfusion failure, followed by a late increase (240 min) in leukocyte adherence in vivo. Enalapril significantly reduced early cellular damage, microvascular perfusion failure, and leukocyte adherence in response to ischemia-reperfusion. Conversely, AT1 receptor inhibition with losartan proved to be ineffective at attenuating postischemic microcirculatory disorders (leukocyte-endothelial interactions, microvascular perfusion failure) and aggravated cellular injury. In vitro, enalapril reduced PMN adherence and ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 expression, while losartan was ineffective in the same respect. Following ischemia-reperfusion injury, ACE- versus AT1-receptor inhibition induce differential effects concerning the extent and temporal association of cell injury and leukocyte-endothelial interaction. The use of enalapril combines the beneficial effects of preventing cell and vascular injury immediately after reperfusion, with a delayed inhibition of the inflammatory response. Since the AT1-receptor inhibitor losartan did not mimic effects obtained with ACE inhibition, it is conceivable that the responses in ischemia-reperfusion are mediated by a non-angiotensin II-AT1 receptor-dependent mechanism.

Presynaptic 5-HT auto- and heteroreceptors in the human central and peripheral nervous system.

In view of the potential pathophysiological and therapeutic implications, presynaptic 5-HT auto- and heteroreceptors have been identified and characterized in isolated human tissues and their functional role has been determined. Such investigations have been carried out in different laboratories including that of the authors. Basic evidence for the involvement of inhibitory 5-HT receptors in modulation of 5-HT release in the cerebral cortex was obtained in slices: exogenous 5-HT inhibited 5-HT release in a manner susceptible to blockade by methiothepin, which given alone facilitated 5-HT release, probably by preventing endogenous 5-HT from activating the inhibitory receptors. The latter receptors are located on the 5-HT nerve terminals themselves, since 5-HT (and sumatriptan) also inhibited 5-HT release from cortical synaptosomes. Their pharmacological properties conform to those of the 5-HT1D class. Subclassification (5-HT1D alpha or 5-HT1D beta) has been tried with ketanserin which has an at least 60 times higher affinity for 5-HT1D alpha (pki = 7.1) than 5-HT1D beta receptors. Since ketanserin (0.32 microM) did not affect the concentration-response curve for 5-carboxamidotryptamine (5-CT), the presynaptic 5-HT autoreceptor may belong to the 5-HT1D beta rather than the 5-HT1D alpha subtype. The sympathetic nerve terminals of the human saphenous vein are endowed with inhibitory 5-HT1D beta heteroreceptors, as indicated by the potency ratio of several 5-HT receptor agonists in inhibiting noradrenaline release in strips of this blood vessels and by the ability of methiothepin, but not of ketanserin 0.3 microM, to act as an antagonist. Noradrenergic nerves in the dura mater, which probably innervate its microvasculature, may also be endowed with inhibitory 5-HT receptors, since 5-HT inhibited noradrenaline release from this tissue. In strips of atrial appendages, 5-HT receptor agonists (e.g. 5-HT, 5-CT and sumatriptan) inhibited noradrenaline release at potencies which are correlated with their ki values at 5-HT1D alpha and 5-HT1D beta receptors. Since this inhibitory effect was antagonized by ketanserin (0.3 but not 0.03 microM) and methiothepin, the presynaptic 5-HT receptor in this tissue may belong to the 5-HT1D alpha subtype. However, this conclusion needs further confirmation by experiments with more potent and subtype-selective antagonists of 5-HT1D alpha and 5-HT1D beta receptors.

Inhibition of noradrenaline release via presynaptic 5-HT1D alpha receptors in human atrium.

In segments of human right atrial appendages preincubated with [3H]noradrenaline and superfused with physiological salt solution containing desipramine and corticosterone, we determined the effects of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptor agonists and antagonists on tritium overflow evoked by transmural electrical stimulation (2 Hz). Tritium overflow was inhibited by 5-HT, 5-carboxamidotryptamine (5-CT), 5-methoxytryptamine (5-MeOT), 5-methoxy-3(1,2,3,6-tetrahydro-4-pyridinyl)-1H indole succinate (RU 24969) and sumatriptan. Yohimbine and oxymetazoline (in the presence of idazoxan) also inhibited tritium overflow. The inhibitory potency of the drugs was significantly correlated with their affinity for 5-HTID receptors in human brain and for cloned human 5-HT1D alpha and 5-HT1D beta receptors, but not with their affinity for 5-HT1B, 5-HT1E, 5-HT1F, 5-HT2A, 5-HT2B, 5-HT2C, 5-HT3, 5-HT5A, 5-HT5B and 5-HT7 receptors. The potency order 5-CT > 5-HT > 5-MeOT is opposite to the order of affinities reported for 5-HT6 binding sites. The preferential 5-HT1A receptor agonist 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetraline (up to 0.3 microM) and the selective 5-HT4 receptor agonist cisapride (up to 1 microM) failed to inhibit tritium overflow. L-694,247, a potent 5-HT1D beta receptor agonist, did not inhibit tritium overflow, but counteracted the inhibitory effect of 5-HT. Ketanserin at a concentration which should block 5-HT1D alpha but not 5-HT1D beta receptors and methiothepin at a concentration which may be assumed to block both 5-HT1D alpha and 5-HT1D beta receptors antagonized the inhibitory effect of 5-HT. Propranolol and ondansetron did not modify the 5-HT-induced inhibition of release. In conclusion, noradrenaline release in human right atrial appendages is inhibited via 5-HT receptors which are located on the noradrenergic axon terminals. These inhibitory presynaptic 5-HT receptors belong to the 5-HT1D subfamily. The ability of ketanserin to antagonize the inhibitory effect induced by activation of these receptors suggests that they can be subclassified as 5-HT1D alpha.

Double-resonance polarization spectroscopy using modulation sidebands.

A novel technique for ultrahigh-resolution laser spectroscopy is described. Coherence between atomic substates created by an amplitude-modulated light beam is monitored in transmission of a weak probe beam by polarizationselective optical heterodyne detection. As a demonstration, the technique is applied to Zeeman sublevels of the sodium ground state. The width (FWHM) of the observed resonances corresponds to 60 kHz.