Effects of endothelin-1 on isolated vascular beds from normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Endothelin-1 and noradrenaline induced dose-dependent pressor responses in isolated in situ blood perfused mesenteric arterial beds and isolated tail arterial beds of anaesthetised spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). In the tail the sensitivity and maximum to either agonist were the same in SHR and WKY whereas in the mesenteric bed the maximum pressor responses to both agonists were increased in SHR. This effect of endothelin-1 may contribute to the greater increase in blood pressure it induces in anaesthetised SHR compared with WKY.