Altered endothelium-mediated relaxation after denervation of growing rabbit ear artery

The relaxation response to methacholine and sodium nitroprusside was examined in ring segments from the posterior auricular artery and its continuation the central ear artery in growing rabbits 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks following unilateral adrenergic and sensory denervation. The maximal relaxation achieved by methacholine (endothelium-dependent) was significantly depressed in the denervated arteries compared with the contralateral controls. Sodium nitroprusside (endothelium-independent relaxant agent) elicited the maximal relaxation in all tissues. These results demonstrated impaired arterial endothelium-dependent relaxation to methacholine after chronic denervation.