Short term hypercholesterolemia alters N(G)-nitro-L-arginine- and indomethacin-resistant endothelium-dependent relaxation by acetylcholine in rabbit renal artery.

The tension of isolated rings was measured isometrically to compare the N(G)-nitro-L-arginine- and indomethacin-resistant relaxation by acetylcholine (ACh) in the renal artery from normal rabbits and short term hypercholesterolemia rabbits (0.5% cholesterol chow for 5 weeks). ACh-induced relaxation in the renal artery precontracted with phenylephrine was not influenced by cholesterol-enriched chow. However, in comparison with artery from normal rabbits, the N(G)-nitro-L-arginine- and indomethacin-resistant endothelium-dependent relaxation by ACh was significantly enhanced by the chow. The resistant part of ACh-induced relaxation was significantly inhibited when the artery was treated with tetraethylammonium or SKF 525a. Results suggest that short term hypercholesterolemia modulates endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor-mediated relaxation in rabbit renal artery.