Cytokines increase endothelin ETB receptor contractile activity in rat cerebral artery.

The plasticity of endothelin ETB receptor activity and the influence of pro-inflammatory cytokines was examined in cerebral artery. In fresh rat basilar artery, the selective ETB receptor agonist, sarafotoxin S6c, induced negligible contractions. However, after 1 day of organ culture, fully defined concentration-response curves were obtained in artery segments exposed to sarafotoxin S6c. Organ culture in the presence of either interleukin-1 beta or tumour necrosis factor-alpha, but not interleukin-2 or interleukin-6, further amplified the maximal contraction to sarafotoxin S6c. The plasticity of ETB receptor expression in cerebral arteries and sensitivity for pro-inflammatory cytokines, suggest a role in inflammatory cerebral diseases such as stroke.