Contraction and relaxation of rat aorta in response to ATP

Vascular responses to ATP were studied in aortic rings isolated from stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). Low concentrations of ATP (10 nM to 10 microM) caused relaxation and high concentrations (0.1 mM to 10 mM) caused contraction. Both of these responses were accentuated by factors released from the endothelium. The endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) was blocked by NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA). This is the first time that it has been reported that ATP causes the release of an endothelium-derived contracting factor (EDCF). Its release was diminished but not completely blocked by cyclooxygenase inhibitors. Assays of muscle bath prostanoid composition indicated that ATP stimulation caused the release of prostaglandins I2 and E2 and thromboxane A2 from intact aortic rings. Evidence is presented that neither endothelin nor superoxide anion contributed to the EDCF. No difference was observed between WKY and SHRSP with regard to either the endothelial contributions to the response, or the direct action on vascular smooth muscle of ATP. High concentrations of ATP achieved intravascularly in hypoxia may cause vasospasm by release of endothelial prostanoids.