Oxygen radical-mediated vascular injury selectively inhibits receptor-dependent release of nitric oxide from canine coronary arteries.

Reperfusion after global cardiac ischemia may injure coronary artery endothelium and lead to vasospasm and thrombosis. Oxygen-derived radicals have been implicated as mediators of this process, but the precise mechanism of injury is unknown. We hypothesized that oxygen-derived radicals impair coronary endothelial production of nitric oxide, a potent endogenous vasodilator and inhibitor of platelet adhesion. To test this theory, we developed an in vitro model of reperfusion injury in which segments of epicardial canine coronary artery were suspended in organ chambers (physiologic salt solution, 37 degrees C, 95% oxygen and 5% carbon dioxide) and exposed to oxygen-derived radicals (generated by adding xanthine [10(-4) mol/L] and xanthine oxidase [100 mU/ml] to the bathing solution for 70 minutes). After exposure to oxygen-derived radicals, epicardial coronary artery smooth muscle exhibited normal contraction to potassium ions (20 mmol/L) and prostaglandin F2 (4 x 10(-6) mol/L); also, the rings relaxed normally on exposure to isoproterenol and sodium nitroprusside (10(-9) to 10(-4) mol/L) (n = 6). In contrast, endothelium-dependent vasodilatation to receptor-dependent agonists acetylcholine and adenosine diphosphate (10(-9) to 10(-4) mol/L) was impaired as compared with the reaction of control vessels not exposed to oxygen-derived radicals (n = 18, P < 0.001, and n = 10, P < 0.002, respectively). Importantly, receptor-independent, endothelium-dependent relaxation to the calcium ionophore A23187 was normal (n = 6). Further, endothelium-dependent vasodilatation to receptor-dependent agonist bradykinin (non-nitric oxide pathway) was normal after exposure to oxygen-derived radicals. This is the first study to demonstrate that oxygen-derived radicals selectively impair receptor-dependent nitric oxide production by the coronary endothelium. Diminished nitric oxide production is a likely mechanism of vasospasm and thrombosis after reperfusion of the ischemic heart.