Effect of retinoic acid on contractile competence of vascular smooth muscle

Rat aortic rings cultured for 24 h in protein-free medium showed a significant reduction in the contractile response to potassium (-60%) and to phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (-65%). The addition of plasma to the medium attenuated the loss in responsiveness, and the supplementation of the plasma-containing medium with all trans-retinoic acid (RA) returned the response to potassium (85%) and phorbol ester (135%) to near normal or supramaximal compared with fresh tissue. Furthermore, the combined additions of plasma and RA resulted in significant preservation of the contractile response (75%) for at least 3 days in organ culture. Removal of the endothelium before organ culture eliminated the enhancement of contraction by plasma and RA. However, the removal of the endothelium from tissues that had been cultured with an intact endothelium or the blockade of nitric oxide synthesis in these tissues before contractile measurements had no effect on the contractile response. Finally, the incubation of tissues with phorbol ester to downregulate protein kinase C resulted in a marked attenuation (-75%) of the contractile response compared with control tissues in culture. The results suggest that circulating factors may be necessary for the maintenance of contractile function of aortic smooth muscle. Based on the opposing actions of RA and phorbol ester, the long-term regulation of contractile function may involve protein kinase C activity.