Sulfur dioxide relaxes rat aorta by endothelium-dependent and -independent mechanisms

This study aimed to investigate the vasoactivity of sulfur dioxide (SO2), a novel gas identified from vascular tissue, in rat thoracic aorta. The thoracic aorta was isolated, cut into rings, and mounted in organ-bath chambers. After equilibrium, the rings were gradually stretched to a resting tension. Isometric tension was recorded under the treatments with vasoconstrictors, SO2 derivatives, and various drugs as pharmacological interventions. In endothelium-intact aortic rings constricted by 1 microM phenylephrine (PE), SO2 derivatives (0.5-8 mM) caused a dose-dependent relaxation. Endothelium removal and a NOS inhibitor L-NAME reduced the relaxation to low doses of SO2 derivatives, but not that to relatively high doses (>or=2 mM). In endothelium-denuded rings, SO2 derivatives attenuated vasoconstriction induced by high K+ (60 mM) or CaCl2 (0.01-10 mM). The relaxation to SO2 derivatives in PE-constricted rings without endothelium was significantly inhibited by blockers of ATP-sensitive K+(KATP) and Ca2+-activated K+ (KCa) channels, but not by those of voltage-dependent K+ channels, Na+- K+-ATPase or Na+-Ca2+ exchanger. SO2 relaxed vessel tone via endothelium-dependent mechanisms associated with NOS activation, and via endothelium-independent mechanisms dependent on the inhibition of voltage-gated Ca2+ channels, and the opening of KATP and KCa channels.