Mechanisms of endothelin-1-induced contraction in isolated placental veins from normal full-term and preterm pregnancies

Victoria Gallardo, M. Antonieta Cruz, Patricia Miguel, Gonzalo Carrasco, Clemente González

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study characterizes the reactivity of human chorionic plate vein in full-term (39.4±0.3 weeks of gestation) and preterm (34.4±0.6 weeks of gestation) pregnancy to endothelin-1 (ET-1) and attempts to characterize ET-1 receptor subtype, and the contribution of nitric oxide and cyclooxygenase products in these responses. In placental veins from full-term and preterm pregnant women, cumulative addition of ET-1 (10 -10-10 -6 M) caused marked and long-lasting concentration-dependent contractile responses. The mean EC 50 and E max values for ET-1-induced venoconstriction did not differ between the full-term and preterm pregnancy groups. In the veins from preterm placental preparations, the ET A receptor-selective antagonist cyclo(D-α-aspartyl-L-propyl-D-valyl-L-leucyl-D-tryptophyl (BQ123) reduced the ET-1-induced contraction by 28.6±2.4%, compared to a decline in tension of 51.2±4.2% in the full-term placental vessels. The ET B receptor-selective antagonist, N-[N-[N-[2,6-dimethyl-1piperidinyl)carbonyl]-4-methyl-L-leucyl]-1- (methoxycarbonyl)-D-tryptophyl]-D-norleucinemonosodium (BQ788), did not influence ET-1-induced contraction in placental vein from both pregnancy groups in terms of maximal contraction and sensitivity. Pretreatment with the cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin (1 μM) and the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N w-nitro-L-arginine (NOLA, 100 μM) did not significantly affect either the EC 50 or the maximum contraction to ET-1 in veins from normal full-term and preterm preparations. The results of this study suggest that there is no correlation between ET-1-induced vasoconstriction and gestational age and that this vasoconstriction is mediated predominantly via ET A receptor subtype in both groups of pregnant women, independent of NO and eicosanoids.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)295-301
Number of pages7
JournalGeneral Pharmacology: The Vascular System
Volume34
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 2000
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Pharmacology

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