Endothelium-dependent changes in the response to vasoconstrictor substances of isolated dog mesenteric veins

In dog mesenteric vein strips, contractions induced by histamine relative to those induced by 5 mM Ba++ were potentiated by removal of endothelium. The induced contractions were potentiated by AA861, a lipoxygenase inhibitor, and methylene blue, a guanylate cyclase inhibitor, to an appreciably greater extent in the strips with endothelium than in those with damaged endothelium. Indomethacin did not potentiate the contraction induced by histamine. Cimetidine potentiated the contraction in control strips and those without endothelium to a similar extent whereas chlorpheniramine suppressed the contraction. Contractile responses to acetylcholine, norepinephrine, serotonin and prostaglandin (PG) F2 alpha were not potentiated by removal of endothelium. It may be concluded that histamine activates histaminergic receptors, possibly H1 but not H2, in endothelial cells and results in a release of vasodilator substance produced by lipoxygenase, which accumulates cellular cyclic GMP and relaxes mesenteric veins. The H1 and H2 receptors in smooth muscle cells appear to be responsible for contractions and relaxations, respectively. Acetylcholine, norepinephrine, serotonin and PGF2 alpha do not seem to release vasodilator substances from endothelium in an amount sufficient to cause significant relaxations of venous smooth muscle.