Neointima formation impairs endothelial muscarinic receptors while enhancing prostacyclin-mediated responses in the rabbit carotid artery.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the generation of a neointima, an early step in the development of atherosclerosis, affects endothelium-dependent or -independent vasodilation. The neointima was induced, within 7 days, by positioning a nonocclusive silicone collar around one carotid artery in rabbits. After 1, 2, 7, or 14 days segments were cut from the collar-surrounded region of this artery as well as from the sham-operated contralateral artery and were used for isometric tension recording or for bioassay of nitric oxide (NO). The acetylcholine-induced release of NO was significantly reduced at 7 days. The tension recordings suggested that this already occurred at the earliest stages of neointima formation. Neither the capacity of the endothelial cells to form NO in response to the calcium ionophore A23187 nor the capacity of the underlying smooth muscle cells to relax in response to sources of exogenous NO (3-morpholinosydnonimine and nitroglycerin) was affected by the neointima. Therefore, the impaired endothelium-dependent relaxations to acetylcholine are presumably due to a defect at the level of the endothelial muscarinic receptors. The presence of a fully developed neointima did not alter the responsiveness to isoproterenol and forskolin but enhanced prostacyclin-mediated responses (assessed by iloprost and 13-hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid). These results illustrate selective alterations of endothelial and smooth muscle cell function in intima generation before fatty streak formation.