Altered endothelium-dependent alpha-adrenergic vascular reactivity following exposure to Pasteurella haemolytica antigens.

Rats were injected with sterile saline (controls), 10(5) cfu of Pasteurella haemolytica (biotype A) obtained from a commercial vaccine, or a commercial Pasteurella leukotoxoid vaccine. Three days after vaccination, the animals were killed and the thoracic aorta was removed. In some experiments the vascular endothelium was mechanically removed. Each isolated aorta was placed in a tissue bath and the biophysical responses to methoxamine (alpha-1 agonist) were determined. In separate experiments the endothelial surface was examined by scanning electron microscopy. In endothelium-intact vessels both vaccines appeared to enhance the contractile response to methoxamine. On the other hand, in endothelial-denuded vessels, the methoxamine-mediated contractile response was enhanced in the P. haemolytica-treated group but not in animals vaccinated with leukotoxoid. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy revealed deposition of a fibrin-like material on the endothelial surface of vaccinated animals. These results suggest that exposure to vaccine-derived P. haemolytica antigens alters the morphology and adrenergic responsiveness of vascular smooth muscle.