We have investigated the effects of recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO) on the responses of rat renal arcuate arteries to dopamine, noradrenaline and acetylcholine and on the release of NO from human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) in culture. Noradrenaline induced a concentration-dependent constriction and acetylcholine a concentration-dependent relaxation of the vessels. The effects of dopamine were concentration-dependent, leading to relaxation of the vessels at low concentrations and contraction of the vessels at high concentrations. NG-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME; 0.1 mM) did not change the vasoconstrictor responses to noradrenaline and dopamine, but inhibited the acetylcholine- and dopamine-induced vasorelaxation. Neither 0.1 nor 20 units·ml-1 EPO affected noradrenaline-induced constriction, or dopamine- or acetylcholine-induced relaxation, of the vessels. EPO at 20 units·ml-1 attenuated dopamine-induced constriction of the vessels. This effect was blunted by application of L-NAME, suggesting that EPO may stimulate dopamine-mediated NO release from these vessels. EPO stimulated NO release from the resting HUVEC in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, an effect that was inhibited by the presence of NG-nitro-L-arginine. These data suggest that, in vitro, EPO is able to stimulate NO release from rat renal arcuate arteries and HUVEC in culture. Whether these acute short-term actions can be related to the longer-term actions of EPO remains to be resolved.
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Research Article|
August 24 1999
Relationship between erythropoietin and nitric oxide in the contraction of rat renal arcuate arteries and human umbilical vein endothelial cells
Xiao Chun WU;
Xiao Chun WU
*Department of Physiology, Division of Medicine, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, U.K.
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Edward J. JOHNS;
*Department of Physiology, Division of Medicine, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, U.K.
Correspondence: Professor E. J. Johns (e-mail E. J. [email protected]).
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Nicholas T. RICHARDS
Nicholas T. RICHARDS
†Department of Nephrology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TH, U.K.
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
February 10 1999
Revision Received:
May 10 1999
Accepted:
June 24 1999
Online ISSN: 1470-8736
Print ISSN: 0143-5221
The Biochemical Society and the Medical Research Society © 1999
1999
Clin Sci (Lond) (1999) 97 (4): 413–419.
Article history
Received:
February 10 1999
Revision Received:
May 10 1999
Accepted:
June 24 1999
Citation
Xiao Chun WU, Edward J. JOHNS, Nicholas T. RICHARDS; Relationship between erythropoietin and nitric oxide in the contraction of rat renal arcuate arteries and human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Clin Sci (Lond) 1 October 1999; 97 (4): 413–419. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/cs0970413
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