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DOI: 10.1007/s00547-001-0049-5
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York
Mechanism of superoxide anion-induced modulation of vascular tone
Publication History
Publication Date:
25 April 2011 (online)
Abstract
We investigated the effects of superoxide anions (O2−) generated by xanthine (X) plus xanthine oxidase (XO) on isolated rabbit aorta suspended in Krebs-Ringer solution. Xanthine plus xanthine oxidase produced concentration-dependent contractions of rabbit aorta. Superoxide dismutase completely reversed the contractile response observed. Superoxide anion-induced contraction of rabbit aorta was totally abolished in preparations denuded of endothelium. The contractile effect was reduced by 56% by the cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin. The contractile effect was not affected by the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, captopril. These results indicate that O2 − produces a contraction of the isolated rabbit aorta that is endothelium-dependent and is partly mediated by an arachidonic acid metabolite.