Pharmacology of endothelin-1 in isolated vessels: effect of nicardipine, methylene blue, hemoglobin, and gossypol.

Sensitive bioassay tissues for porcine endothelin-1 (ET-1) were developed in a cascade superfusion system and in organ baths. Venous preparations of the rabbit and rat were more sensitive than arterial preparations. ET-1 had a different pharmacological profile than Bay K 8644 on the various preparations. Nicardipine (0.1-1 microM) abolished the responses to Bay K 8644 without affecting those induced by ET-1. Thus, ET-1 contracts venous and some arterial vessels via specific receptors or channels that differ from dihydropyridine-sensitive calcium channels. Methylene blue and hemoglobin potentiated responses to ET-1 in endothelium-denuded venous vessels, whereas gossypol had no effect.