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The hypoxia-sensitive endothelin (ET) system plays an important role in circulatory regulation through vasoconstrictor ETA and ETB2 and vasodilator ETB1 receptors. Sepsis progression is associated with microcirculatory and mitochondrial disturbances along with tissue hypoxia. Our aim was to investigate the consequences of treatments with the ETA receptor (ETA-R) antagonist, ETB1 receptor (ETB1-R) agonist, or their combination on oxygen dynamics, mesenteric microcirculation, and mitochondrial respiration in a rodent model of sepsis. Sprague Dawley rats were subjected to fecal peritonitis (0.6 g kg i.p.) or a sham operation. Septic animals were treated with saline or the ETA-R antagonist ETR-p1/fl peptide (100 nmol kg i.v.), the ETB1-R agonist IRL-1620 (0.55 nmol kg i.v.), or a combination therapy 22 h after induction. Invasive hemodynamic monitoring and blood gas analysis were performed during a 90-min observation, plasma ET-1 levels were determined, and intestinal capillary perfusion (CPR) was detected by intravital videomicroscopy. Mitochondrial Complex I (CI)- and CII-linked oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) was evaluated by high-resolution respirometry in liver biopsies. Septic animals were hypotensive with elevated plasma ET-1. The ileal CPR, oxygen extraction (ExO2), and CI-CII-linked OXPHOS capacities decreased. ETR-p1/fl treatment increased ExO2 (by >45%), CPR, and CII-linked OXPHOS capacity. The administration of IRL-1620 countervailed the sepsis-induced hypotension (by >30%), normalized ExO2, and increased CPR. The combined ETA-R antagonist-ETB1-R agonist therapy reduced the plasma ET-1 level, significantly improved the intestinal microcirculation (by >41%), and reversed mitochondrial dysfunction. The additive effects of a combined ETA-R-ETB1-R-targeted therapy may offer a tool for a novel microcirculatory and mitochondrial resuscitation strategy in experimental sepsis.

In fetal human left ventricular endocardial endothelial cells (EECLs), both plasma membrane (PM) ET(A)R and ET(B)R were reported to mediate ET-1-induced increase of intracellular calcium [Ca](i); however, this effect was mediated by ET(A)R in right EECs (EECRs). In this study, we verified whether, as for the PM, nuclear membranes (NMs) ET-1 receptors activation in EECLs and EECRs induce an increase of nuclear calcium ([Ca](n)) and if this effect is mediated through the same receptor type as in PM. Using a plasmalemma-perforated technique and 3D confocal microscopy, our results showed that, as in PM intact cells, superfusion of nuclei of both cell types with cytosolic ET-1 induced a concentration-dependent sustained increase of [Ca](n). In EECRs, the ET(A)R antagonist prevented the effect of ET-1 on [Ca](n) without affecting EECLs. However, in both cell types, the effect of cytosolic ET-1 on [Ca](n) was prevented by the ETBR antagonist. In conclusion, both NMs' ET(A)R and ET(B)R mediated the effect of cytosolic ET-1 on [Ca](n) in EECRs. In contrast, only NMs' ET(B)R activation mediated the effect of cytosolic ET-1 in EECLs. Hence, the type of NMs' receptors mediating the effect of ET-1 on [Ca](n) are different from those of PM mediating the increase in [Ca](i).

The efficacy of selective endothelin (ET) receptor antagonists may be limited by a functional interaction between the ET(A) and ET(B) receptors. This interaction, also termed "cross talk", is characterized by the dependency of the inhibition of an ET-1 response due to antagonism of one ET receptor subtype upon concomitant antagonism of the other ET receptor subtype. Although a reduction in ET(A)-ET(B) receptor cross talk would presumably increase the efficacy of selective ET receptor antagonists, an approach that accomplishes this aim is largely absent due to a lack of mechanistic understanding. Toward this goal, we evaluated the characteristics and potential dependencies of cross talk in smooth muscle. Smooth muscle was adopted as an exemplar not only because cross talk is widely reported in this tissue type, thereby allowing numerous comparisons, but also significant controversy surrounds the use of selective versus nonselective ET receptor antagonists in ET-1-related pathophysiologies involving smooth muscle. Based on this evaluation, we suggest that ET(A)-ET(B) receptor cross talk is a dynamic process directed by either or both ET receptor subtypes and expressed to varying magnitudes depending on the ET-1 and selective ET receptor antagonist concentrations, tone due to intraluminal pressure/stretch, agonists acting at receptors other than the ET(A)/ET(B) receptors, and endothelial/epithelial function. It is speculated that ET(A)-ET(B) receptor cross talk occurs through signal transduction pathways along with changes at the receptor level. Pharmacologic intervention of the signaling pathways could increase the therapeutic efficacy of ET receptor antagonists.

There is immunohistochemical evidence for endothelin (ET) receptors in satellite glial cells in sensory ganglia, but there is no information on the function of these receptors. We used calcium imaging to study this question in isolated mouse trigeminal ganglia and found that satellite glial cells are highly sensitive to ET-1, with threshold at 0.05 nM. Responses displayed strong desensitization at ET-1 concentrations of more than 1 nM. A large component of the response persisted when Ca was deleted from the external medium, consistent with Ca release from internal stores. The use of receptor selective agents showed that the responses were mediated by ETB receptors. We conclude that satellite glial cells display endothelin receptors, which may participate in neuron-glia communications in the trigeminal ganglia.

Endothelin-1 (ET-1), a potent vasoconstrictor and mitogen, is upregulated in pulmonary tissue during endotoxemia and contributes markedly to endotoxin-induced pulmonary hypertension. It is, however, unknown whether the ET receptors, ET(A) and ET(B), are differentially regulated in endotoxemic pulmonary vasculature and how this may impact on pulmonary vascular tone. To investigate this topic, we used isolated perfused lungs, pulmonary endothelial cells (ECs), and pulmonary vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) of the rat. During a 6-h endotoxin exposure, isolated perfused lungs developed significant pulmonary hypertension that was markedly attenuated by antagonizing ET(A) or ET(B) receptors using subtype-selective or a mixed ET(A/B) receptor antagonist. Peptide levels of big ET-1 and ET-1 and gene expression of prepro-ET-1 were increased after endotoxin challenge in all tissues. In endotoxemic isolated perfused lungs and ECs, the significant rise of mature ET-1 seen in controls after ET(B) receptor or mixed antagonism disappeared completely. However, this effect was preserved in endotoxemic SMCs. In ECs, endotoxin markedly downregulated maximum ET(B) receptor sites and ET(B) mRNA levels, whereas in SMCs, it generated substantial ET(B) receptor upregulation and moderate ET(A) receptor downregulation. The aldose reductase inhibitors sorbinil and zopolrestat mitigated endotoxin-induced pulmonary hypertension, ET-1 stimulation, and differential ET(B) receptor regulation. We conclude that endotoxin-induced pulmonary hypertension in the rat results from a loss of endothelial and concomitant gain of vascular smooth muscle ET(B) receptors. These changes are at least partly mediated by aldose reductase.

The aim was to investigate the role of endothelin 1 receptor subtypes in the early renal response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) during normotensive endotoxemia with acute kidney dysfunction. Endotoxemia was induced in thiobutabarbital-anesthetized rats (n = 9 per group) by infusion of LPS (dosage, 1 mg/kg per hour i.v.). The study groups (1) sham-saline, (2) LPS-saline, (3) LPS-BQ123, (4) LPS-BQ788 and (5) LPS-BQ123 + BQ788 received isotonic saline, the ETA receptor antagonist BQ-123 (dosage, 30 nmol/kg per minute i.v.), and/or the ETB receptor antagonist BQ-788 (dosage, 30 nmol/kg per minute i.v.) before and during 2 h of LPS infusion. Renal clearance measurements, renal blood flow (RBF), and cortical and outer medullary perfusion (laser-Doppler flowmetry) and oxygen tension (Clark-type microelectrodes) were analyzed throughout. Before LPS administration, there were no significant differences between groups in glomerular filtration rate (GFR), RBF, or in cortical (CLDF) and outer medullary perfusion. However, mean arterial pressure (MAP) was elevated in LPS-BQ788 group compared with LPS-BQ123 + BQ788 group (P < 0.05). In saline-treated rats, endotoxin induced an approximate 35% reduction in GFR (P < 0.05), without significant effects on MAP, RBF, or on CLDF and cortical PO2. In addition, LPS increased outer medullary perfusion and PO2 (P < 0.05). The fractional urinary excretion rates of sodium, potassium, and water were not significantly different in LPS-saline group compared with sham-saline group. Neither selective nor combined ETA and ETB receptor blockade improved GFR. In BQ-788-infused rats, endotoxin produced marked reductions in RBF (-18% +/- 4% [P < 0.05]) and CLDF (-18% +/- 2% [P < 0.05]). Similarly, endotoxin decreased RBF (-14% +/- 3% [P < 0.05]) and CLDF (-10% +/- 2% [P < 0.05]) in LPS-BQ123 + BQ788 group. Endotoxin reduced MAP (-22% +/- 4% [P < 0.05]) in BQ-123-treated rats but did not significantly influence MAP in other groups. We conclude that in early normotensive endotoxemia, ETB receptors exert a renal vasodilator influence and contribute to maintain normal RBF.

Objective: Endothelin-1 (ET-1) contributes to the increased peripheral resistance in heart failure and hypertension. Physical inactivity is associated with cardiovascular disease and characterized by increased vascular tone. In this study, we assess the contribution of ET-1 to the increased vascular tone in the extremely deconditioned legs of spinal cord-injured (SCI) individuals before and after exercise training., Methods and Results: In 8 controls and 8 SCI individuals, bilateral thigh blood flow was measured by plethysmography before and during the administration of an ET(A)/ET(B)-receptor blocker into the femoral artery. In SCI, this procedure was repeated after 6 weeks of electro-stimulated training. In a subset of SCI (n=4), selective ET(A)-receptor blockade was performed to determine the role of the ET(A)-receptors. In controls, dual ET-receptor blockade increased leg blood flow at the infused side (10%, P<0.05), indicating a small contribution of ET-1 to leg vascular tone. In SCI, baseline blood flow was lower compared with controls (P=0.05). In SCI, dual ET-receptor blockade increased blood flow (41%, P<0.001). This vasodilator response was significantly larger in SCI compared with controls (P<0.001). The response to selective ET(A)-receptor blockade was similar to the effect of dual blockade. Electro-stimulated training normalized baseline blood flow in SCI and reduced the response to dual ET-receptor blockade in the infused leg (29%, P=0.04)., Conclusions: ET-1 mediates the increased vascular tone of extremely inactive legs of SCI individuals by increased activation of ET(A)-receptors. Physical training reverses the ET-1-pathway, which normalizes basal leg vascular tone.

The susceptibility of changes in responsiveness to noxious cold stimulation of rats submitted to chronic constriction of the infraorbital nerve (CION) or carrageenan to drug inhibition was compared. Nocifensive responses were measured as total time rats engaged in bilateral facial grooming with both forepaws over the first 2 min following tetrafluoroethane spray application to the snout. Carrageenan (50 microg, s.c. into upper lip) caused short-lived ipsilateral cold hyperalgesia (peak at 3 h: vehicle 8.4+/-1.3, carrageenan 21.2+/-3.0 s) which was markedly suppressed by i.p. indomethacin (4 mg/kg), celecoxib (10mg/kg) or s.c. dexamethasone (0.5 mg/kg), endothelin ET(A) or ET(B) receptor antagonists (BQ-123 and BQ-788, respectively; 10 nmol/lip). CION caused ipsilateral cold hyperalgesia between Days 2 and 12, which peaked on Days 4 (sham 15.3+/-1.8, CION 32.4+/-5.3s) to 6. Established peak CION-induced cold hyperalgesia was unaffected by indomethacin and celecoxib, whereas dexamethasone, BQ-123, BQ-788, and i.v. injections of selective antagonists of ET(A) (atrasentan, 3-10 mg/kg) or ET(B) (A-192621, 5-20 mg/kg) receptors caused significant inhibitions lasting 1-2.5h (peaks approximately 65-90%). Bosentan (dual ET(A)/ET(B) receptor antagonist, 10 mg/kg, i.v.) abolished CION-induced cold hyperalgesia for up to 6h. Thus, once established, CION-induced orofacial hyperalgesia to cold stimuli appears to lack an inflammatory component, but is alleviated by endothelin ET(A) and/or ET(B) receptor antagonists. If this CION injury model bears predictive value to trigeminal neuralgia (i.e., paroxysmal orofacial pain triggered by various stimuli), endothelin receptors might constitute new targets for treatment of this disorder.

Background: Human pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is characterized by proliferation of vascular smooth muscle and, in its more severe form, by the development of occlusive neointimal lesions. However, few animal models of pulmonary neointimal proliferation exist, thereby limiting a complete understanding of the pathobiology of PAH. Recent studies of the endothelin (ET) system demonstrate that deficiency of the ET(B) receptor predisposes adult rats to acute and chronic hypoxic PAH, yet these animals fail to develop neointimal lesions. Herein, we determined and thereafter showed that exposure of ET(B) receptor-deficient rats to the endothelial toxin monocrotaline (MCT) leads to the development of neointimal lesions that share hallmarks of human PAH., Methods and Results: The pulmonary hemodynamic and morphometric effects of 60 mg/kg MCT in control (MCT(+/+)) and ET(B) receptor-deficient (MCT(sl/sl)) rats at 6 weeks of age were assessed. MCT(sl/sl) rats developed more severe PAH, characterized by elevated pulmonary artery pressure, diminished cardiac output, and right ventricular hypertrophy. In MCT(sl/sl) rats, morphometric evaluation revealed the presence of neointimal lesions within small distal pulmonary arteries, increased medial wall thickness, and decreased arterial-to-alveolar ratio. In keeping with this, barium angiography revealed diminished distal pulmonary vasculature of MCT(sl/sl) rat lungs. Cells within neointimal lesions expressed smooth muscle and endothelial cell markers. Moreover, cells within neointimal lesions exhibited increased levels of proliferation and were located in a tissue microenvironment enriched with vascular endothelial growth factor, tenascin-C, and activated matrix metalloproteinase-9, factors already implicated in human PAH. Finally, assessment of steady state mRNA showed that whereas expression of ET(B) receptors was decreased in MCT(sl/sl) rat lungs, ET(A) receptor expression increased., Conclusions: Deficiency of the ET(B) receptor markedly accelerates the progression of PAH in rats treated with MCT and enhances the appearance of cellular and molecular markers associated with the pathobiology of PAH. Collectively, these results suggest an overall antiproliferative effect of the ET(B) receptor in pulmonary vascular homeostasis.

Background: Endothelin (ET)-1 and norepinephrine (NE) are involved in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury. We investigated the role of ET-1 in ischemia/reperfusion-induced NE overflow and cardiac dysfunction using a selective ET(A) receptor antagonist (ABT-627), a selective ET(B) receptor antagonist (A-192621), and the spotting lethal (sl) rat, which carries a naturally occurring deletion in the ET(B) receptor gene., Methods and Results: According to the Langendorff technique, isolated hearts were subjected to 40-minute global ischemia followed by 30-minute reperfusion. In Sprague-Dawley rat hearts, ischemia/reperfusion-induced cardiac dysfunctions such as decreased left ventricular developed pressure and coronary flow and increased left ventricular end-diastolic pressure were worsened by treatment with A-192621. This agent enhanced excessive NE overflow in the coronary effluent from the postischemic heart. In contrast, treatment with ABT-627, in the absence or presence of A-192621, significantly improved postischemic cardiac dysfunction and markedly suppressed NE overflow to the same extent. Postischemic cardiac dysfunction and NE overflow in the heart of ET(B) receptor-deficient homozygous (sl/sl) rats were highly observed compared with cases in wild-type rats, and exaggerated responses to ischemia/reperfusion in sl/sl rats were abolished by ABT-627 treatment. Exogenously applied ET-1 produced severe cardiac dysfunction and a significant increase in NE overflow in a dose-dependent manner, but these responses were markedly suppressed in the presence of 5-N-ethyl-N-isopropyl-amiloride, an inhibitor of the Na+/H+ exchanger (NHE)., Conclusions: Pharmacological blockade or genetic deficiency of ET(B) receptors is detrimental to the postischemic heart, and exaggerated cardiac pathology under the above conditions is mediated by ET(A) receptor activation. ET(A)/NHE-mediated excessive NE overflow is contributive, at least in part, to postischemic cardiac dysfunction in rats.

The functional roles of endothelin ETA and ETB receptors in the development of monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary hypertension were investigated using MCT-treated rats in the absence or presence of a daily administration of A-192621, a selective ETB receptor antagonist, ABT-627, a selective ETA receptor antagonist, or a combination of both drugs. Four weeks after the injection of saline or MCT (60 mg/kg, s.c.), cardiac hypertrophy, right ventricular systolic pressure and morphologic changes of pulmonary arteries were evaluated. Compared with the control animals, MCT produced marked pulmonary hypertension associated with increases in right ventricular pressure and hypertrophy, and pulmonary arterial medial thickening. These MCT-induced alterations were markedly suppressed by daily treatment with ABT-627 for 4 weeks (10 mg/kg/d, twice daily), whereas treatment with A-192621 significantly aggravated the above MCT-induced pathologic changes. The blockade of both receptor subtypes by a combination of A-192621 and ABT-627 also significantly improved the MCT-induced pathologic changes, to the same extent as with ABT-627 administration. Thus, an exaggerated response to MCT during ETB receptor blockade also seems to be mediated by ETA receptor activation, thereby suggesting that ETA receptor-mediated action is exclusively contributive to the pathogenesis of MCT-induced pulmonary hypertension, although we cannot rule out a protective role of ETB receptor-mediated action.