Bradykinin release from contracting skeletal muscle of the cat

Results of previous studies from our laboratory suggest that bradykinin has a role in the exercise pressor reflex elicited by static muscle contraction. The purpose of this study was to quantify the release of bradykinin from contracting skeletal muscle. In 18 cats, blood samples were withdrawn directly from the venous effluent of the triceps surae muscles immediately before and after 30 s of static contraction producing peak muscle tensions of 33, 50, and 100% of maximum electrically stimulated contraction. Contractions producing muscle tensions of 50 and 100% of maximum increased muscle venous bradykinin levels by 27 +/- 9 and 19 +/- 10 pg/ml, respectively. Conversely, 33% maximum contraction did not alter muscle venous bradykinin concentrations. However, when captopril was administered to slow the degradation of bradykinin, muscle venous bradykinin increased from 68 +/- 15 pg/ml at rest to 106 +/- 18 after contractions of 33% of maximum. When muscle ischemia was induced by 2 min of arterial occlusion before and during 30 s of 33% of maximum contraction, muscle venous bradykinin increased by 15 +/- 5 pg/ml. In addition, contraction-induced changes in muscle venous pH and lactate strongly correlated with bradykinin concentrations (r = 0.80 and 0.83, respectively). These data demonstrate that static contraction of relatively high intensity evokes the release of bradykinin from skeletal muscle and that ischemia, decreased pH, and increased lactate are strongly correlated with this release.