Enprofylline and theophylline on small human placental arteries: studies of in vitro effects and mode of action

Theophylline dilates rat diaphragm arterioles via the prostaglandins pathway

1. We investigated by intravital microscopy in rats, the in vivo direct effects of theophylline on the diameters of second and third order diaphragm arterioles. 2. Theophylline (1-100 microM) dilated second and third order diaphragm arterioles significantly, and with an amplitude which was not statistically different from the one obtained with adenosine (1-100 microM). Enprofylline (1-100 microM), a theophylline analogue with poor adenosine-receptor antagonism but with similar or higher phosphodiesterases inhibition properties than theophylline, also dilated diaphragm arterioles, causing however, a significantly smaller dilatation than theophylline. 3. Neither the A1 adenosine receptor antagonist 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine (CPX, 50 nM), nor the A2 adenosine receptor antagonist 3,7-dimethyl-1-proparglyxanthine (DMPX, 10 microM) reduced significantly theophylline-induced arteriolar dilatation. 4. Theophylline (100 nM) abolished adenosine-induced arteriolar dilatation. 5. The dilatation induced by theophylline was unchanged by the nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine (NNA, 300 microM). 6. Theophylline-induced arteriolar dilatation was abolished by the prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors mefenamic acid or indomethacin (20 microM). 7. These findings show that theophylline induced a significant dilatation of diaphragm arterioles via the release of prostaglandins.

AUTACOIDS AFFECTING VASCULAR TONE IN THE HUMAN FETAL EXTRACORPOREAL CIRCULATION

1. The human fetal extracorporeal circulation is normally a vasodilated, low pressure system. 2. As this vasculature lacks innervation, autacoids have been postulated as being of great importance in controlling its tone. 3. This has now been confirmed by pharmacological in vitro techniques, particularly utilizing perfusion of the isolated umbilical cord and placental lobule. 4. The fetal umbilical-placental vessels are sensitive to a wide range of vasoconstrictor autacoids, some of which can cause intense vasospasm. 5. Thromboxane A2 receptors have been identified in both umbilical vein and placental villous vessels. 6. Prostacyclin and endothelial cell-derived relaxing factor (or nitric oxide) may be largely responsible for the low vascular resistance normally found in the fetal extracorporeal circulation. 7. Immediately after birth it is likely that stimuli such as cooling, stretching and handling of the umbilical cord cause release of eicosanoids and other autacoids from the vessels, leading to their complete closure.

Role of endogenous adenosine in postdefibrillation bradyarrhythmia and hemodynamic depression

In halothane-nitrous oxide-anesthetized pigs, the effect of the competitive adenosine antagonist, BW-A1433U (a derivative of 1,3-dipropyl-8-phenylxanthine), on postdefibrillation bradyarrhythmia and hemodynamic depression was investigated. In protocol 1, repetitive episodes of ventricular fibrillation lasting 15 seconds before transthoracic DC shock were performed in five animals, before (control) and after the administration of BW-A1433U (5 mg/kg i.v.). An unsuccessful initial shock was immediately followed by a rescue shock of 40 A. In ventricular fibrillation episodes requiring rescue shocks, nine of 19 episodes (47%) exhibited second- or third-degree atrioventricular block at 15 seconds postdefibrillation compared with only one of 16 BW-A1433U episodes (6%). In protocol 2, the effect of BW-A1433U was determined in the presence of dipyridamole, a nucleoside uptake blocker known to potentiate the cardiac actions of adenosine. To counter the hypotensive effect of dipyridamole, methoxamine was continuously infused at 0.015 mg/kg/min i.v. Sequential episodes of ventricular fibrillation lasting 45 seconds were terminated by shocks of 40 A in the presence of methoxamine alone, after dipyridamole (1.5-7.5 mg i.v.), and after BW-A1433U (5 mg/kg i.v.). Over the first 15 seconds postdefibrillation, BW-A1433U significantly (p less than 0.05) increased the number of spontaneous beats (31 +/- 2) and systolic/diastolic blood pressure (111 +/- 4/67 +/- 5 mm Hg; mean +/- SEM; n = 9) compared with both methoxamine (16 +/- 2 beats; 98 +/- 14/52 +/- 12 mm Hg; n = 5) and dipyridamole (8 +/- 3 beats; 58 +/- 11/27 +/- 6 mm Hg; n = 9), respectively. Rapid infusion of BW-A1433U during dipyridamole postdefibrillation periods raised heart rate and blood pressure to preventricular fibrillation levels within 30 seconds. Thus, BW-A1433U can reverse and prevent postdefibrillation bradyarrhythmia and hemodynamic depression. Endogenous adenosine may be an important mediator of postdefibrillation cardiovascular collapse.

Relaxant effects of xanthines, a beta 2-receptor agonist and Ca2+ antagonists in guinea-pig tracheal preparations contracted by potassium or carbachol

Potassium (124 mM K+ Krebs) produced a biphasic contractile response in the guinea-pig isolated trachea. An initial phasic contraction was followed by a larger and sustained contraction. Repeated potassium-induced contractions in spontaneously contracted guinea-pig tracheas were not reproducible. However, reproducible K+ responses were obtained in the presence of indomethacin (10(-6) M) that almost abolished the spontaneous tone. This suggested that endogenous cyclooxygenase products were variably released by K+ and interfered with its contractile effects. Both phases of K+-induced contractions were inhibited in Ca2+-free/EGTA Krebs. In contrast, about 80% of the contractile response to carbachol persisted in this medium. Tracheas contracted by potassium (indomethacin present) were completely relaxed by theophylline and enprofylline but only partly relaxed by terbutaline. All bronchodilators completely relaxed carbachol-contracted preparations. Each bronchodilator was 2-3 times less potent to relax K+- than carbachol-induced contractions. In sharp contrast, two Ca2+ antagonists, verapamil and nimodipine, preferentially relaxed K+-induced contractions. The results obtained with Ca2+ antagonists, which are poorly effective in asthma, compared to the established antiasthma drugs, xanthines and beta 2-receptor agonists, may indicate that depolarization-induced mechanisms contribute little to bronchoconstriction in asthma.