[Demonstration of a vasopressor role of endogenous endothelin after inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis in rats].

Although it is clear that vascular endothelial cells synthesize and release endothelin (ET), the contribution of this vasconstrictor peptide to the regulation of vascular tone appears limited in normal conditions. One possibility to explain this moderate effect is that continuous production of nitric oxide (NO) may permanently inhibit the release and the vasoconstrictor effects of ET. In these conditions, inhibition of NO synthesis might unmask a vasopressor response to ET. Thus, we tested whether bosentan (3 mg/kg i.v.), a non-peptide antagonist of ETA and ETB receptors, or BQ-123 (3 mg/kg), an antagonist of ETA receptors, affected the hypertensive response induced by the NO synthase inhibitors NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME 3 mg/kg) or NG-nitro L-arginine (3 mg/kg) in anesthetized, normotensive rats. Bosentan or BQ-123 did not affect blood pressure. L-NAME significantly increased mean arterial pressure (% increase from baseline: 25 +/- 5%), and this was reduced by bosentan (13 +/- 3%; p < 0.05) or by BQ-123 (14 +/- 5%; p < 0.01). In contrast, bosentan did not affect the pressor response to phenylephrine. The response to L-NAME (3 mg/kg) was also reduced by bosentan in ganglion-blocked (chlorisondamine: 2.5 mg/kg; controls 89 +/- 10; bosentan: 45 +/- 7%) or pithed rats (controls: 165 +/- 9; bosentan 85 +/- 12%; p < 0.01). Bosentan also inhibited the pressor response to NG-nitro L-arginine (3 mg/kg-1) in normal (controls 24 +/- 5, bosentan 10 +/- 3%; p < 0.01) or ganglion-blocked rats (controls 86 +/- 13; bosentan 25 +/- 8; p < 0.01). Finally, L-NAME induced a modest increase in plasma levels of ET-1 (controls: 26.8 +/- 4.1; L-NAME: 38.5 +/- 3.3 pg/ml; p < 0.05). Thus, acute inhibition of NO synthesis unmasks a tonic vasopressor influence of ET.