Influence of experimental diabetes on the mechanical responses of canine coronary arteries: role of endothelium.

The influence of experimental diabetes on the endothelium mediated relaxation and contractile responses of canine isolated coronary arteries was studied in arteries removed from alloxan treated diabetic (280 mmol.kg-1) and control mongrel dogs. Strips with and without endothelium were suspended in Krebs bicarbonate solution for isometric recording. Relaxation responses to acetylcholine (1.8 X 10(-8) to 9.4 X 10(-6) mol.litre-1, A23187 (10(-8) to 1.28 X 10(-6) mol.litre-1), and sodium nitroprusside (10(-9) to 10(-7) mol.litre-1) as well as contractile responses to prostaglandin F2 alpha, (1.7 X 10(-7) to 5.6 X 10(-4) mol.litre-1) were determined. In all intact strips acetylcholine, and A23187 induced similar concentration dependent reduction of the prostaglandin F2 alpha (2 X 10(-6) mol.litre-1) evoked tone. No significant difference was observed between sodium nitroprusside evoked relaxations of normal and diabetic arteries. Cyclooxygenase blockade reduced the maximal relaxations induced by acetylcholine and A23187 in diabetic vessels, whereas it did not change the endothelium dependent relaxation of normal arteries. Diabetes increased significantly the sensitivity to acetylcholine (EC50 4.1(0.4) X 10(-7) mol.litre-1 in control and 6(0.7) X 10(-8) mol.litre-1 in diabetic arteries; p less than 0.01, n = 7) and to A23187 (EC50: 7(1) X 10(-8) mol.litre-1 in control and 3.8(0.3) X 10(-8) mol.litre-1 in diabetic vessels; p less than 0.01, n = 7); in contrast, prostaglandin F2 alpha remained an equiactive constrictor in normal and diabetic vessels with intact endothelium.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)