Zhang_1994_Eur.J.Pharmacol_262_247

The role of endothelium in angiotensin II-induced contractions of the rabbit aorta and the mechanism involved were investigated. Destruction of the endothelium significantly shifted the concentration-response curve for angiotensin II to the left in a non-parallel manner and enhanced the maximal response. The EC50 and Emax values obtained from the rings with and without functional endothelium were 2.44 +/- 0.13 x 10(-9) M, 4.50 +/- 0.45 g and 1.21 +/- 0.14 x 10(-9) M (n = 8, P < 0.05), 5.73 +/- 0.55 g (n = 8, P < 0.05), respectively. Indomethacin (10(-5) M) did not significantly alter the concentration-dependent response to angiotensin II in the presence of endothelium. Three inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase (NG-monomethyl-L-arginine; NG-nitro-L-arginine, and NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester) at 10(-4) M caused a similar endothelium-dependent potentiation of angiotensin II-induced contractions in the aortic rings with, but not in those without endothelium. These effects were reversed by L-arginine (3 x 10(-3) M) but not by D-arginine (3 x 10(-3) M). Angiotensin II in a concentration range of 10(-16) to 10(-6) M did not relax the endothelium-intact rings precontracted with phenylephrine (2 x 10(-7) M). In the presence of endothelium, the angiotensin II subtype 2 receptor antagonist, 1-[(4-amino-3-methylphenyl]-5-(diphenylacetyl)-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro- 1H- imidazol[4,5-C]pyridine-6-carboxylic acid (PD 123177), caused neither relaxation of the rings precontracted with phenylephrine nor alteration of the concentration-response curve for angiotensin II.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)