Biomaterial Database

Endothelium-dependent contractions to arachidonic acid are mediated by products of cyclooxygenase. 1985

V M Miller, and P M Vanhoutte

Arachidonic acid produces endothelium-dependent relaxation in canine arteries and endothelium-dependent contraction in veins. In canine femoral arteries, the relaxation is prevented by inhibitors of cyclooxygenase. To determine the role of cyclooxygenase in the contraction evoked by arachidonic acid in the veins, rings of canine femoral and intrapulmonary veins, with and without endothelium, were suspended in organ chambers and set at their optimum length for isometric tension measurements. In rings of femoral and pulmonary vein contracted with norepinephrine, arachidonic acid produced a concentration-dependent increase in tension that was eliminated by removal of the endothelium or by treatment with the inhibitors of cyclooxygenase (indomethacin, meclofenamate, or acetylsalicyclic acid). The contractions were not prevented by inhibitors of thromboxane synthetase or prostacyclin synthetase or lipoxygenase. Pulmonary and femoral veins with or without endothelium relaxed to low, but contracted to high concentrations of prostacyclin and prostaglandin E2. Prostaglandin F2 alpha caused endothelium-independent contractions in both blood vessels. The present study suggests that the endothelium-dependent contractions to arachidonic acid observed in canine veins are mediated by prostanoids other than thromboxane and prostacyclin.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008084	Lipoxygenase	An enzyme of the oxidoreductase class primarily found in PLANTS. It catalyzes reactions between linoleate and other fatty acids and oxygen to form hydroperoxy-fatty acid derivatives.	Lipoxidase,Linoleate-Oxygen Oxidoreductase,Lipoxygenase-1,Lipoxygenase-2,Linoleate Oxygen Oxidoreductase,Lipoxygenase 1,Lipoxygenase 2,Oxidoreductase, Linoleate-Oxygen
D008297	Male		Males
D009119	Muscle Contraction	A process leading to shortening and/or development of tension in muscle tissue. Muscle contraction occurs by a sliding filament mechanism whereby actin filaments slide inward among the myosin filaments.	Inotropism,Muscular Contraction,Contraction, Muscle,Contraction, Muscular,Contractions, Muscle,Contractions, Muscular,Inotropisms,Muscle Contractions,Muscular Contractions
D011451	Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases	Enzyme complexes that catalyze the formation of PROSTAGLANDINS from the appropriate unsaturated FATTY ACIDS, molecular OXYGEN, and a reduced acceptor.	Fatty Acid Cyclo-Oxygenase,PGH Synthase,Prostaglandin H Synthase,Prostaglandin Synthase,Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthase,Arachidonic Acid Cyclooxygenase,Cyclo-Oxygenase,Cyclooxygenase,Cyclooxygenases,Hydroperoxide Cyclase,PGH2 Synthetase,Prostaglandin Cyclo-Oxygenase,Prostaglandin Cyclooxygenase,Prostaglandin Endoperoxide Synthetase,Prostaglandin G-H Synthase,Prostaglandin H2 Synthetase,Prostaglandin Synthetase,Cyclase, Hydroperoxide,Cyclo Oxygenase,Cyclo-Oxygenase, Fatty Acid,Cyclo-Oxygenase, Prostaglandin,Cyclooxygenase, Arachidonic Acid,Cyclooxygenase, Prostaglandin,Endoperoxide Synthetase, Prostaglandin,Fatty Acid Cyclo Oxygenase,G-H Synthase, Prostaglandin,Prostaglandin Cyclo Oxygenase,Prostaglandin Endoperoxide Synthases,Prostaglandin G H Synthase,Synthase, PGH,Synthase, Prostaglandin,Synthase, Prostaglandin G-H,Synthase, Prostaglandin H,Synthase, Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide,Synthases, Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide,Synthetase, PGH2,Synthetase, Prostaglandin,Synthetase, Prostaglandin Endoperoxide,Synthetase, Prostaglandin H2
D011667	Pulmonary Veins	The veins that return the oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium of the heart.	Pulmonary Vein,Vein, Pulmonary,Veins, Pulmonary
D004285	Dogs	The domestic dog, Canis familiaris, comprising about 400 breeds, of the carnivore family CANIDAE. They are worldwide in distribution and live in association with people. (Walker's Mammals of the World, 5th ed, p1065)	Canis familiaris,Dog
D004727	Endothelium	A layer of epithelium that lines the heart, blood vessels (ENDOTHELIUM, VASCULAR), lymph vessels (ENDOTHELIUM, LYMPHATIC), and the serous cavities of the body.	Endotheliums
D005260	Female		Females
D005268	Femoral Vein	The vein accompanying the femoral artery in the same sheath; it is a continuation of the popliteal vein and becomes the external iliac vein.	Femoral Veins,Vein, Femoral,Veins, Femoral
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia