Lung mechanics and pulmonary but not systemic vascular responses to i.v. endothelin-1 in sheep are thromboxane and infusion rate -dependent. Faltin, Daniel L., Andreas Weber, J. Sylvain Lacroix, Manuel Jorge -Costa, and Denis R. Morel. Division of Anesthesiological Investigations, Department of Anesthesia, Pharmacology and Surgical Intensive Care, and Clinic of ENT Surgery, University Hospital of Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva 14 - Switzerland
APStracts 2:0558A, 1995.
The role of cyclooxygenase metabolites formation in the systemic and pulmonary vascular and airway response to different i.v. infusion rates of endothelin-1 (ET-1 was investigated in eight barbiturate -anesthetized, mechanically ventilated adult sheep. ET-1 (20, 200 and 400 pmol/kg) was infused into the femoral vein either over 1, 10, or 180 s before and after pretreatment with indomethacin (1.5 mg/kg i.v.). ET-1 infusion produced a dose-dependent systemic vasoconstriction that was similar with all three infusion rates. In contrast, the pulmonary vascular and airways responses to ET-1 were not only dose-dependent, but also infusion rate-dependent, so that consistent effects on the pulmonary vasculature and airways were observed only when the peptide was injected over 1 s. At the highest dosage and at the fastest rate of administration, ET-1 produced a five-fold rise in pulmonary vascular resistance, a two-fold rise in airway resistance, and a 45% decrease in dynamic pulmonary compliance, whereas no changes were observed when the peptide was injected over 180 s. Plasma levels of 6-k-PGF1 increased 20-fold when ET-1 was administered over 1 s, but only five-fold when administered over 180 s. TxB2 increased 5-fold when ET-1 was administered over 1 s and did not increase when ET-1 was given over 180 s. Plasma TxB2 levels were linearly correlated with pulmonary vascular or airway resistance during the bolus ET-1 infusion. Pretreatment with indomethacin completely prevented the ET-1-induced rise in TxB2 and 6-k-PGF1 and blocked pulmonary vaso- and broncho-constriction observed, whereas it enhanced systemic vasoconstriction. These results demonstrate that in adult sheep, i.v. ET-1 produces pulmonary vaso- and bronchoconstriction that is infusion rate-dependent and is associated with the rate-dependent production of thromboxane. In contrast, the increase in systemic vascular tone elicited by ET-1 is not affected by its rate of infusion and does not depend on the secondary generation of cyclooxygenase metabolites.

Received 7 February 1995; accepted in final form 8 December 1995.
APS Manuscript Number A142-5.
Article publication pending Journal of Applied Physiology.
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1995 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 23 December 95