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Does cytosolic free calcium concentration in platelets reflect tone and structural changes of resistance vessels?

H Ueno1, M Mikawa, M Takata

  • 1Second Department of Internal Medicine, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Japan.

To investigate tone and vascular changes of resistance vessels as related to cytosolic free calcium concentration [( Ca2+]i) in platelets, we measured forearm vascular resistance and free calcium concentration in platelets from 10 essential hypertensives and 15 normotensives. The [Ca2+]i in platelets was significantly higher in essential hypertensives than in normotensives (184 +/- 43 versus 146 +/- 23 nmol/l, P less than 0.01). The [Ca2+]i levels in platelets were significantly correlated with both systolic (r = 0.50, P less than 0.05) and diastolic blood pressures (r = 0.57, P less than 0.01). Resting vascular resistance and minimal vascular resistance were significantly higher in essential hypertensives than in normotensives (30.6 +/- 12.6 and 2.57 +/- 1.30 versus 16.3 +/- 8.0 and 1.47 +/- 0.63 mmHg/ml per min per 100 ml, P less than 0.05 and P less than 0.01, respectively). Both resting and minimal vascular resistance were significantly correlated with [Ca2+]i in platelets (r = 0.40 and P less than 0.05, r = 0.55 and P less than 0.01, respectively). These results suggest that [Ca2+]i in platelets reflects [Ca2+]i in vascular smooth muscle cells and may be a significant determinant of not only tone but also structural changes of resistance vessels.

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