Vascular responses to vasopressin antagonists in man and rat.

1. The effects of the non-peptide arginine vasopressin V1 receptor antagonist (OPC-21268) and the non-peptide V2 receptor antagonist (OPC-31260) on vasopressin-induced contraction of human internal mammary arteries and rat mesenteric resistance arteries were investigated. 2. In human internal mammary arteries, the non-peptide V1 receptor antagonist, OPC-21268, failed to antagonize vasopressin-induced contraction at low concentrations and potentiated the contraction at higher concentrations (300 nmol/l, P < 0.05). A peptide selective V1 receptor antagonist ([d(CH2)5, sarcosine7]arginine vasopressin) potently inhibited the vasopressin-induced contraction, indicating the presence of functionally constrictor V1 receptors in human internal mammary arteries. Both peptide (desGly-NH29[d(CH2)5, D-Ile2, Ile4]arginine vasopressin) and non-peptide 'selective' V2 receptor antagonists (OPC-31260, 3 mumol/l) significantly antagonized vasopressin-induced contraction (P < 0.01), indicating partial V1 receptor antagonist activity. 3. The vasopressin-induced contraction in human internal mammary arteries was reversed by high concentrations of the non-peptide V2 receptor antagonist, OPC-31260, but not by the non-peptide V1 receptor antagonist, OPC-21268. 4. The effects of OPC-21268 and OPC-31260 were specific to vascular vasopressin receptors as neither compound influenced endothelin- or noradrenaline-induced contraction in human internal mammary arteries. 5. In rat mesenteric resistance arteries, both OPC-21268 (10 nmol/l) and OPC-31260 (1 mumol/l) antagonized vasopressin-induced contraction (P < 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Blood pressure-lowering effect of an orally active vasopressin V1 receptor antagonist in mineralocorticoid hypertension in the rat.

We studied the contribution of vasopressin to the maintenance of high blood pressure in deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt hypertension in the rat using the nonpeptide orally effective vasopressin V1 receptor antagonist OPC-21268. Binding kinetic studies demonstrated that oral OPC-21268 (30 mg/kg) acted as a competitive antagonist at the vasopressin V1 receptor in DOCA-salt and salt control rats. Basal mean intra-arterial blood pressure was 140 +/- 4 mm Hg (n = 12) in DOCA-salt rats compared with 111 +/- 2 mm Hg in salt control rats (n = 18). Acute oral OPC-21268 (30 mg/kg) significantly (P < .01) reduced mean intra-arterial pressure in DOCA-salt hypertension, with an average maximal decrease of 24 +/- 3 mm Hg occurring at 2.5 +/- 0.7 hours after dosing. Systolic blood pressure (tail-cuff) in DOCA-salt rats was 178 +/- 2 mm Hg. Chronic oral OPC-21268 (30 mg/kg) twice daily for 7 days significantly (P < .01) reduced systolic blood pressure in DOCA-salt hypertension, with an average maximal decrease of 27 +/- 5 mm Hg. The antihypertensive effect was reversed 5 days after treatment with OPC-21268 was stopped. In water control rats basal systolic pressure (120 +/- 1 mm Hg, n = 20) was unchanged by chronic oral OPC-21268 (30 mg/kg twice daily for 7 days), and this was confirmed by direct measurement of mean intra-arterial pressure. After chronic oral OPC-21268 (30 mg/kg twice daily for 7 days) hepatic V1 receptor binding was significantly reduced for up to 10 hours (P < .05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Vascular endothelin responsiveness and receptor characteristics in vitro and effects of endothelin receptor blockade in vivo in cyclosporin hypertension.

1. The aim of these studies was to determine the role of endothelin in cyclosporin A ([CsA], 10 mg/kg per day, s.c., for 30 days) hypertension in the rat. 2. There were no significant differences in plasma endothelin concentrations, in vitro mesenteric vascular membrane [125I]-endothelin-1 (ET-1) binding characteristics or myographic vascular responses to endothelin-1 between the CsA and control groups (systolic blood pressure 135 +/- 1 vs 127 +/- 1 mmHg, respectively, P < 0.001). 3. Twenty-four hours after selective endothelin type A receptor blockade in vivo with BQ123, blood pressure in CsA hypertensive rats was lowered to levels of normotensive controls. 4. These results suggest that changes in endothelin synthesis rather than changes in vascular sensitivity and/or ET-1 receptor characteristics may contribute to CsA-induced hypertension.

Vasoconstrictor responses to components of the renin-angiotensin system in cyclosporin-induced hypertension in the rat.

1. Since plasma renin activity is increased in cyclosporin A (CsA)-induced hypertension in the rat, the role of the vascular renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in CsA-induced hypertension was investigated in rat mesenteric resistance vessels. 2. Female Wistar rats received CsA (10 mg/kg per day, s.c.) or vehicle for 30 days. CsA treatment increased tail-cuff systolic blood pressure (CsA treated 135 +/- 3 mmHg vs control 125 +/- 1 mmHg, P < 0.0001). 3. Mesenteric resistance arteries (200-300 microns) were isolated and mounted in a microvessel myograph. Concentration-response curves to tetradecapeptide renin substrate (10(-11)-10(-6) mol/L), angiotensin I (10(-11)-10(-6) mol/L) and angiotensin II (10(-12)-10(-6) mol/L) showed no differences between CsA-treated and control groups. 4. Mesenteric vascular angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) characteristics were determined by radioligand binding. There were no differences in the content or affinity of ACE between CsA-treated and control rats. 5. These results suggest that the mesenteric vascular RAS does not play a major role in CsA-induced hypertension in the rat.