Inhibition of vasoactive agents by perfluorochemical emulsion

Perfluorochemicals are widely used in clinical and experimental studies as volume expanders with high oxygen carrying capacity. We noticed that contractions of rabbit aortic strips, induced by norepinephrine, were inhibited in FC-43 emulsion as compared to Krebs-Henseleit solution (KH). To study this inhibition, a comparative evaluation was made of the contractile responses of norepinephrine, serotonin and histamine in FC-43 emulsion and KH. The effect of these agents was significantly diminished in FC-43 emulsion; concentration-response curves were shifted to the right and the maximum response was diminished. A search was made for the individual constituents of FC-43 responsible for diminution of contraction of vascular smooth muscle. After centrifugation of FC-43 emulsion, the supernatant caused a reduction of contractility and reduced EC50-values of norepinephrine to the same degree as the fully constituted emulsion. This excluded perfluorotributylamine, the oxygen carrying particles, as being responsible for this inhibition. When the detergent Pluronic F-68 was added to KH in concentrations equal to that in FC-43 emulsion, inhibition of contraction occurred and EC50-values increased. Contractions induced by norepinephrine were equally inhibited by the addition to KH of a volume expander, hydroxyethylstarch, in a concentration equal to that in FC-43 emulsion. It is concluded that FC-43 emulsion inhibits vasoactive agents and attenuates its pharmacologic effects on vascular smooth muscle. The fractions of FC-43 emulsion responsible for inhibiting the effect of vasoactive agents are Pluronic F-68 and hydroxyethylstarch.