Cold-acclimation leads to differential regulation of the steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) coronary microcirculation.

The regulation of vascular resistance in fishes has largely been studied using isolated large conductance vessels, yet changes in tissue perfusion/vascular resistance are primarily mediated by the dilation/constriction of small arterioles. Thus we adapted mammalian isolated microvessel techniques for use in fish and examined how several agents affected the tone/resistance of isolated coronary arterioles (<150 μm ID) from steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) acclimated to 1, 5, and 10°C. At 10°C, the vessels showed a concentration-dependent dilation to adenosine (ADE; 61 ± 8%), sodium nitroprusside (SNP; 35 ± 10%), and serotonin (SER; 27 ± 2%) (all values maximum responses). A biphasic response (mild contraction then dilation) was observed in vessels exposed to increasing concentrations of epinephrine (EPI; 34 ± 9% dilation) and norepinephrine (NE; 32 ± 7% dilation), whereas the effect was less pronounced with bradykinin (BK; 12.5 ± 3.5% constriction vs. 6 ± 6% dilation). Finally, a mild constriction was observed after exposure to acetylcholine (ACh; 6.5 ± 1.4%), while endothelin (ET)-1 caused a strong dose-dependent increase in tone (79 ± 5% constriction). Acclimation temperature had varying effects on the responsiveness of vessels. The dilations induced by EPI, ADE, SER, and SNP were reduced/eliminated at 5°C and/or 1°C as compared with 10°C. In contrast, acclimation to 5 and 1°C increased the maximum constriction induced by ACh and the sensitivity of vessels to ET-1 (but not the maximum response) at 1°C was greater. Acclimation temperature had no effect on the response to NE, and responsiveness to BK was variable.