ATP-mediated release of arachidonic acid metabolites from venular endothelium causes arteriolar dilation.

This study was designed to test the hypothesis that venular administration of ATP resulted in endothelium-dependent dilation of adjacent arterioles through a mechanism involving cyclooxygenase products. Forty-three male golden hamsters were anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium (60 mg/kg ip), and the cremaster muscle was prepared for in vivo microscopy. ATP (100 microM) injected into venules dilated adjacent arterioles from a mean diameter of 51 +/- 4 to 76 +/- 6 microm (P < 0.05, n = 6). To remove the source of endothelial-derived relaxing factors, the venules were then perfused with air bubbles to disrupt the endothelium. Resting arteriolar diameter was not altered after disruption of the venular endothelium (51 +/- 5 microm), and the responses to venular ATP infusions were significantly attenuated (59 +/- 4 microm, P < 0.05). To determine whether the relaxing factor was a cyclooxygenase product, ATP infusion studies were repeated in the absence and presence of indomethacin (28 microM). Under control conditions, ATP (100 microM) infusion into the venule caused an increase in mean arteriolar diameter from 55 +/- 4 to 78 +/- 3 microm (P < 0.05, n = 6). In the presence of indomethacin, mean resting arteriolar tone was not significantly altered (49 +/- 4 microm), and the response to ATP was significantly attenuated (54 +/- 4 microm, P < 0.05, n = 6). These studies show that increases in venular ATP concentrations stimulate the release of cyclooxygenase products, possibly from the venular endothelium, to vasodilate the adjacent arteriole.

Differential inhibition of functional dilation of small arterioles by indomethacin and glibenclamide.

Indomethacin or glibenclamide treatments attenuate functional dilation of larger-diameter "feed" arterioles paired with venules in hamster cremaster muscle. We tested the hypothesis that release of cyclooxygenase products from venules is important for functional dilation of third- and fourth-order arterioles. We also tested whether ATP-sensitive potassium channels are important during functional dilation of smaller arterioles. The microcirculation of hamster cremaster muscle was visualized with in vivo video microscopy. We measured diameter responses of third- and fourth-order arterioles paired and unpaired with venules in response to 2 minutes of muscle field stimulation (40 microseconds, 10 V, 1 Hz). Control diameters of vessels were 31+/-2 (n=19), 13+/-1 (n=12), 12+/-2 (n=12), and 10+/-1 (n=12) for paired and unpaired third-order and paired and unpaired fourth-order arterioles, respectively. In all groups, field stimulation resulted in increases in mean control diameter of >80%. Indomethacin (28 micromol/L) superfused on the preparation was used to inhibit cyclooxygenase metabolism, or glibenclamide (10 micromol/L) was used to block ATP-sensitive potassium channels. Indomethacin attenuated arteriolar vasodilations to electrical stimulation in paired third-order vessels only, whereas glibenclamide attenuated this vasodilation in all 4 groups. These results support a role for ATP-sensitive potassium channels in functional dilation of arterioles of all sizes regardless of whether or not they are paired with venules. Conversely, a role for cyclooxygenase products is limited to larger "feed arterioles" paired with venules. This study provides further evidence that venules may be the source of prostaglandin release during functional hyperemia.

A pharmacological examination of venom from the Papuan taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus canni).

The Papuan taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus canni) is the third most venomous terrestrial snake in the world, however, little is know about the pharmacology of the venom. In the chick biventer cervicis muscle, venom (10 microg/ml) abolished nerve-mediated twitches (time to 90% inhibition (t90) 44+/-5 min, n = 9). This inhibition was unaffected by prior incubation of the venom with the phospholipase A inhibitor 4-bromophenacyl bromide (4-BPB; 0.72 mM) (t90 48+/-7 min, n = 8). The mouse phrenic nerve diaphragm preparation displayed greater sensitivity to venom (10 microg/ml) (t90 25+/-1 min, n = 6). In the chick biventer muscle, venom (10 microg/ml) significantly inhibited responses to acetylcholine (1 mM) and carbachol (20 microM), but not KCI (40 mM), indicating activity at post-synaptic nicotinic receptors. Venom (10 microg/ ml) did not affect direct muscle stimulation. Venom (3-30 microg/ml) produced dose-dependant contractions of the guinea-pig ileum. Contractile responses were significantly inhibited by indomethacin (1 microM) or prior incubation of the venom with 4-BPB (0.72 mM) indicating involvement of a PLA component. In rat phenylephrine (0.3 microM) precontracted aortae, venom (3-100 microg/ml) produced endothelium-independent relaxation which was unaffected by prior incubation of venom (30 microg/ml) with 4-BPB (0.72 mM). In anaesthetised rats, 10 microg/kg (i.v.) venom produced rapid respiratory and cardiovascular collapse while 5 microg/kg (i.v.) venom produced only a small transient decrease in mean arterial blood pressure. Prior administration of 5 microg/kg (i.v.) venom enabled subsequent administration of 10 and 100 microg/kg (i.v.) venom without respiratory or cardiovascular collapse. Further work is required to identify specific toxins with the above pharmacological activity.

The effects of antivenom on the in vitro neurotoxicity of venoms from the taipans Oxyuranus scutellatus, Oxyuranus microlepidotus and Oxyuranus scutellatus canni.

The venoms of the inland (Oxyuranus microlepidotus), coastal (O. scutellatus) and Papuan (O. s. canni) taipans are among the most potent in the world. The present study compared the in vitro neurotoxic effects of these venoms and the protective effects of taipan antivenom. Venom (10 microg/ml) from all three snakes abolished nerve-mediated twitches of the chick biventer cervicis muscle preparation with the following rank order of potency (based on the time taken to inhibit 90% of the twitch response; t90): O. microlepidotus (27+/-3 min) > O. scutellatus (42+/-3 min) = O. S. canni (48+/-5 min). This inhibitory effect of all three venoms was primarily postsynaptic in origin as evidenced by the inhibition of responses to exogenous acetylcholine (ACh; 1 mM) and carbachol (CCh; 20 microM), but not potassium chloride (40 mM). In contrast, the presynaptic neurotoxins taipoxin (3 microg/ml) and paradoxin (3 microg/ml) abolished nerve-mediated twitches without producing a significant effect on contractile responses to exogenous agonists. Prior incubation of the tissue with taipan antivenom (1 unit/ml for 10 min) markedly attenuated the inhibitory effects of taipoxin (3 microg/ml) and paradoxin (3 microg/ml), as well as O. scutellatus (10 microg/ml) and O. s. canni (10 microg/ml) venom. However, in the presence of antivenom, O. microlepidotus venom (10 microg/ml) still abolished nerve-mediated twitches and responses to ACh and CCh. The results of the current study indicate that taipan antivenom, raised against O. scutellatus venom, is effective, in vitro, against the neurotoxic effects of venom from the Papuan and coastal taipans, as well as the presynaptic effects of venom from the inland taipan. However, the antivenom appears less effective against the postsynaptic effects of the latter. It is possible that inland taipan venom contains a component not neutralised by the antivenom which may contribute to the extreme potency of this venom.