AJP - Heart and Circulatory Physiology, Vol 271, Issue 6 2313-H2319, Copyright © 1996 by American Physiological Society

ARTICLES

Developmental changes in alpha 1-adrenergic receptors, IP3 responses, and NE-induced contraction in cerebral arteries

L. D. Longo, N. Ueno, Y. Zhao, W. J. Pearce and L. Zhang
Center for Perinatal Biology, Department of Physiology, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, California 92350, USA.

Cerebral arteries show significant developmental and artery-specific changes in noradrenergic-mediated contraction. To test the hypothesis that these changes result from differences in the density of alpha 1-adrenergic receptors (alpha 1-ARs) and/or norepinephrine (NE)-induced inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P3,IP3] synthesis, we quantified these variables and the NE-induced contraction in the common carotid artery (Com) and main branch cerebral arteries (MBC) from term fetal (approximately 140 gestational day) and newborn (2- to 5-day) sheep and compared them with adult values. In fetal and newborn Com, maximal contractions to NE (percent K+ maximum response) were 132 +/- 14 and 118 +/- 9%, respectively (adult = 92 +/- 7%). For fetal and newborn middle cerebral artery, these values were 34 +/- 10 and 43 +/- 7%, respectively (adult = 24 +/- 7%). alpha 1-AR density values in Com of fetal and newborn sheep were 113 +/- 18 and 106 +/- 4 fmol/mg protein, respectively (adult = 54 +/- 3 fmol/mg protein). For the MBC, density values were 47 +/- 2 and 24 +/- 3 fmol/mg protein, respectively (adult = 23 +/- 3 fmol/protein). In term fetal and newborn MBC, NE produced dose-dependent increases in Ins(1,4,5)P3, the maximal increases above basal values being 245 +/- 40 and 189 +/- 16%, respectively (adult = 254 +/- 35%). Neither fetus nor newborn Com showed significant Ins(1,4,5)P3 responses to NE. We concluded that in fetal and newborn Com and MBC, alpha 1-AR density and NE-induced Ins(1,4,5)P3 response varied as a function of developmental age and specific vessel. However, these variations did not correlate with NE-induced maximum contraction. Thus we reject the hypothesis that age-dependent and vessel-specific differences of cerebral artery adrenergic-mediated contraction are a function of alpha 1-AR density or Ins(1,4,5)P3 response. Rather, the differences would appear to result from other factors such as non-Ins(1,4,5)P3-mediated calcium activation and/or sensitivity to Ins(1,4,5)P3. The studies also suggest considerable potential for maturational modulation of pharmacomechanical coupling and homeostatic regulation of cerebrovascular tone.

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