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Updated: Aug 26, 2026

Isolation of Intrapulmonary Artery and Smooth Muscle Cells to Investigate Vascular Responses
Published on: June 8, 2022
Carbon monoxide inhibits endothelin-1 release by human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells
Salome J Stanford1, Matthew J Walters, Jane A Mitchell
1Unit of Critical Care, The Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust, Imperial College School of Medicine, Sydney Street, London SW3 6NP, UK.
Abstract:
Endothelin-1 is a potent vasoconstrictor with mitogenic properties. This 21-amino-acid protein, released in the vasculature by endothelial and smooth muscle cells, has been implicated in pulmonary hypertension. More recently, evidence has accumulated for a role of the heme oxygenase system in pulmonary hypertension. Heme oxygenase catalyses the breakdown of heme to produce carbon monoxide, biliverdin and free iron. Here we show that a carbon monoxide-releasing molecule, but not biliverdin, inhibits endothelin-1 release from serum-stimulated human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. Under certain conditions, carbon monoxide appears to act as an endogenous break on endothelin-1 release.
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