Johnston M G, Kanalec A, Gordon J L
Prostaglandins. 1983 Jan;25(1):85-98. doi: 10.1016/0090-6980(83)90138-7.
Lymphatic vessels exhibit rhythmical contractility in vivo and in vitro and this activity appears to regulate lymph flow. A technique for measuring the circular muscle contractions of isolated bovine mesenteric lymphatic vessel segments has been devised and utilized to study the pharmacological properties of these vessels. Non-contracting lymphatic vessels can be induced to contract rhythmically with a variety of mediators, the most potent being a stable PGH2 analogue (compound U46619), and the leukotrienes B4, C4 and D4 (threshold concentrations in the nanomolar range). Prostaglandin F2 alpha, noradrenaline, serotonin and histamine also elicited rhythmical activity but much higher concentrations were required. PGE2 and PGE1 were potent inhibitors of spontaneous contractions or those induced with U46619. In keeping with the diverse pharmacological effects of the metabolites of arachidonic acid, the addition of arachidonate to an isolated lymphatic vessel generated both stimulatory and inhibitory activities. It is concluded that arachidonic acid products (produced in the lymphatic vessel or entering the vessel in lymph draining the tissues) regulate lymph flow through their effects on lymphatic smooth muscle.
淋巴管在体内和体外均表现出节律性收缩能力，且这种活动似乎对淋巴液流动具有调节作用。现已设计并运用一种技术来测量分离的牛肠系膜淋巴管段的环形肌收缩情况，以此研究这些血管的药理学特性。多种介质可诱导未收缩的淋巴管发生节律性收缩，其中最有效的是一种稳定的前列环素H2类似物（U46619化合物），以及白三烯B4、C4和D4（阈浓度在纳摩尔范围内）。前列腺素F2α、去甲肾上腺素、血清素和组胺也能引发节律性活动，但所需浓度要高得多。前列腺素E2和前列腺素E1是自发收缩或由U46619诱导的收缩的有效抑制剂。鉴于花生四烯酸代谢产物具有多种药理作用，向分离的淋巴管中添加花生四烯酸会产生刺激和抑制两种活性。研究得出结论，花生四烯酸产物（在淋巴管中产生或在引流组织的淋巴液中进入淋巴管）通过对淋巴平滑肌的作用来调节淋巴液流动。
