Wang_1997_Zhonghua.Yi.Xue.Za.Zhi_77_115

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the injured effects of nicotine on isolated rat common carotid artery and to supply experimental proofs for vascular vessel and organ transplantation.
METHODS: Asins relaxing and contractile functional test of isolated vascular vessel and scanning electron microscopy techniques, we observed the influence of nicotine on the contractile and the relaxing function of isolated artery and the intact of the intima.
RESULTS: Lower concentrations of nicotine (6 x-10 mol/L-6 x 10(-6) mol/L) produced a concentration-dependent constrictor response of 18%-41% relative to those induced by norepinephrine (NE, 10(-7) mol/L), whereas removal of endothelium reduced nicotine-induced constrictions to 5%-21%. Higher concentrations of nicotine (6 x 10(-5) mol/L-6 x 10(-3) mol/L) not only injured contractile function of vascular smooth muscle but also caused severe damage to the intima. Various concentrations of nicotine all inhibited acetylcholine-induced relaxation response.
CONCLUSIONS: Nicotine not only has cytotoxicity to vascular vessel but also results in vasoconstrictor effects which depend upon endothelium intact, probably by inhibiting the release of endothelium-derived relaxing factor.