Alpha 2-adrenoceptors mediate norepinephrine constriction of porcine pial veins

The adrenergic innervation and alpha-adrenoceptor agonist-induced constrictions in isolated medium-size pial veins (OD 734 +/- 18 microns) of the pig were investigated. Using in vitro tissue bath techniques, we noted exogenously applied norepinephrine (10(-9) to 10(-5) M) induced venoconstriction with EC50 values of 1.71 x 10(-7) M, where EC50 is the concentration that produced 50% of (non-KCl) agonist-induced maximum constriction. The constriction was mimicked by clonidine but not by phenylephrine and was more effectively blocked by yohimbine than by prazosin. Results from histochemical studies demonstrated that porcine pial veins received a denser plexus of catecholamine fluorescence fibers than do pial arteries with similar outer diameter. These results suggest that norepinephrine-induced pial venoconstriction is mediated predominantly by alpha 2-adrenoceptors and that porcine pial veins have significantly greater sensitivity to the alpha-action of norepinephrine than that reported in pial arteries. These results add further support for adrenergic innervation in pial veins being of importance in regulating cerebral blood volume and intracranial pressure.