Prostanoids and pial arteriolar diameter in hypotensive newborn pigs

Effects of hypotensive hemorrhage on pial arteriolar diameter and cortical subarachnoid fluid prostanoid concentrations were investigated in newborn pigs. Chloralose-anesthetized piglets were equipped with closed cranial windows over the parietal cortex for observation of pial arterioles and collection of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) passing over the cerebral surface (cortical subarachnoid CSF). Prostanoids in the CSF were determined by radioimmunoassay. Measurements of pial arterioles were made during normotension (63 +/- 4 mmHg) and hypotension (28 +/- 3 mmHg). Hypotension caused pial arteriolar diameters to increase from 162 +/- 22 to 193 +/- 22 microns. During normotension, the cortical subarachnoid prostanoid concentrations were (in ng/ml) prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) 2.6 +/- 0.7, 6-ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha (6-keto-PGF1 alpha) 1.7 +/- 0.4, thromboxane B2 (TXB2) 0.25 +/- 0.02. Hypotension caused 6-keto-PGF1 alpha to increase 245 +/- 104% and PGE2 to increase 132 +/- 38%. TXB2 increased slightly (37 +/- 21%). Topical application of PGE2 and prostacyclin caused marked dilation of pial arterioles. Treatment of hypotensive newborn pigs with indomethacin caused constriction of pial arterioles to diameters not significantly different from the normotensive diameters. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that the prostanoid system contributes to the maintenance of cerebral blood flow during hypotension in piglets.