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Biomedical subjects

W S Colucci

Publications and source records attributed to W S Colucci.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

Adenosine 3',5'-cyclic-monophosphate-dependent regulation of alpha 1-adrenergic receptor number in rabbit aortic smooth muscle cells.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate-dependent process can be involved in the regulation of vascular smooth muscle alpha 1-adrenergic receptor responsiveness. Experiments were performed in cultured rabbit aortic smooth muscle cells which were characterized previously according to alpha-adrenergic receptor-binding characteristics and receptor-coupled norepinephrine-stimulated 45Ca++ efflux. The addition of dibutyryl-cyclic adenosine monophosphate to the cell culture medium for 24 hours resulted in a concentration-related decrease in maximal [3H]prazosin-binding capacity (41 +/- 4% decrease with 1 mM dibutyryl-cyclic adenosine monophosphate) without an effect on [3H]prazosin-binding affinity. Prostaglandin E1 (10 microM) and forskolin (10 microM) caused similar decreases in maximal [3H]prazosin-binding capacity, whereas butyrate (1 mM) and dibutyryl-guanosine-3',5' cyclic-monophosphate (1 mM) had no effect. Dibutyryl-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (1 mM) caused significant potentiation of the decrease in [3H]prazosin-binding caused by a submaximal (10 nM) but not a maximal (10 microM) concentration of norepinephrine, suggesting that cyclic adenosine monophosphate may act at a distal step in common with norepinephrine to reduce alpha-adrenergic receptor number. Despite the approximately 41% reduction in alpha-adrenergic receptor number following 24-hour incubation of cells with dibutyryl-cyclic adenosine monophosphate, maximal norepinephrine-stimulated 45Ca++ efflux was not reduced, consistent with the markedly nonlinear relationship between alpha-adrenergic receptor occupancy and maximal norepinephrine-stimulated 45Ca++ efflux in this cell system. These data provide evidence for a novel mechanism by which hormones or drugs which increase cyclic adenosine monophosphate levels can modulate alpha-adrenergic responsiveness in vascular smooth muscle.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

Phorbol diester modulates alpha-adrenergic receptor-coupled calcium efflux and alpha-adrenergic receptor number in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells.

The phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate was used to probe the role of protein kinase-C in the modulation of alpha-adrenergic receptor-coupled calcium efflux in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells derived from rabbit aorta. Exposure of cells to 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate for 6 minutes caused a concentration-related (maximum effect at greater than or equal to 10 nM) increase in calcium-45 efflux from preloaded cells. Maximum calcium-45 efflux stimulated by 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate was equivalent to maximum norepinephrine-stimulated calcium-45 efflux, and maximally effective concentrations of 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate and norepinephrine together were no more potent than either drug alone. Exposure of cells to 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate for periods of 1-24 hours resulted in complete loss of norepinephrine-stimulated calcium-45 efflux and a much slower, concentration-related reduction in alpha-adrenergic receptor number, with a maximum reduction of 50-60% at 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate concentrations greater than or equal to 10 nM. Twenty-four hours of exposure to 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (10 nM) and norepinephrine (10 microM) together caused no greater reduction in [3H]prazosin binding than did norepinephrine alone. 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate had no effect on [3H]prazosin-binding affinity. These data suggest an important role for protein kinase-C in both the acute excitation-contraction coupling of vascular smooth muscle alpha-adrenergic receptors, and in the long-term modulation of vascular alpha-adrenergic receptor responsiveness.

Animals↗

Milrinone and dobutamine in severe heart failure: differing hemodynamic effects and individual patient responsiveness.

Milrinone and dobutamine were compared in 15 patients with New York Heart Association functional class III and IV congestive heart failure. Dobutamine and milrinone were administered intravenously according a graded titration schedule up to maximum doses (14 micrograms/kg/min and 75 micrograms/kg, respectively) or until increased ventricular ectopy or a reduction in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure to 10 mm Hg or less occurred. Although both agents markedly increased cardiac index, milrinone caused a significantly greater reduction in left and right heart filling pressures and mean arterial pressure than did dobutamine, and for any given increase in dP/dt, milrinone caused a greater reduction in systemic vascular resistance than did dobutamine. Thus, the hemodynamic effects of milrinone are best represented by a combination of the actions of dobutamine, a positive inotropic agent, and a vasodilator such as nitroprusside, which causes both arterial and venous dilation. The positive inotropic responses of individual patients to dobutamine (5 micrograms/kg/min) and milrinone (25 micrograms/kg) were compared. The increases in dP/dt with both agents were variable, and correlated poorly (r = .50; p = .059). Patients were divided into two groups: Group I consisted of eight patients in whom the ratio of the increase in dP/dt with dobutamine vs milrinone was greater than 1.0 (good dobutamine responders); group II consisted of seven patients in whom this ratio was less than 1.0 (poor dobutamine responders).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗

An increase in putative voltage dependent calcium channel number following reserpine treatment.

Rats were treated with reserpine (0.2 mg/kg) on days 1, 3, and 5. On day 6, binding parameters for alpha-1 adrenergic receptors (3H-prazosin) and putative voltage dependent calcium channels, VDCC (3H-nitrendipine), were determined. There was an increase in both the number (2.1 fold) and affinity (1.8 fold) of alpha-1 adrenergic receptors following reserpine treatment. In addition, there was a 2.7 fold increase in the number of VDCCs, but no change in VDCC binding affinity, following reserpine treatment. These data are consistant with the development of smooth muscle supersensitivity following reserpine treatment in a variety of tissues, and suggest that VDCC number may be modulated by the cell in response to tonic levels of catecholamines. Changes in the number of VDCCs may be an important regulatory mechanism for cell function in physiologic and pathologic states.

Animals↗

Immediate effects of milrinone on metabolic and sympathetic responses to exercise in severe congestive heart failure.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled protocol was used to determine whether milrinone exerts an immediate effect on exercise performance in patients with severe congestive heart failure. In each of 14 patients with New York Heart Association class III or IV congestive heart failure, intravenous milrinone (mean 57 +/- 5 micrograms/kg) and placebo were randomly administered just before maximal progressive upright cycle ergometry. The duration of exercise was significantly longer with milrinone than with placebo treatment (placebo 11.0 +/- 0.6 minutes, milrinone 12.5 +/- 0.9 minutes, p = 0.01). Compared with placebo, milrinone caused a higher peak oxygen uptake (placebo 10.8 +/- 0.6 ml/kg/min, milrinone 12.4 +/- 0.7 ml/kg/min, p = 0.001) and oxygen uptake at the anaerobic threshold (placebo 7.8 +/- 0.4 ml/kg/min, milrinone 9.2 +/- 0.4 ml/kg/min, p = 0.001). At peak exercise intensity, systolic blood pressure (placebo 119 +/- 5 mm Hg, milrinone 131 +/- 5 mm Hg, p = 0.001) and heart rate (placebo 114 +/- 5 beats/min, milrinone 126 +/- 6 beats/min, p = 0.001) were both increased with milrinone. Likewise, at matched submaximal exercise intensities, heart rate (placebo 111 +/- 19 beats/min, milrinone 117 +/- 20 beats/min, p less than 0.05) and systolic blood pressure (placebo 116 +/- 19 mm Hg, milrinone 121 +/- 19 mm Hg, p = 0.04) were higher with milrinone; plasma norepinephrine (placebo 1,692 +/- 208 ng/liter, milrinone 1,320 +/- 216 ng/liter, p = 0.05) and blood lactate concentrations (placebo 2.2 +/- 0.2 mM, milrinone 1.9 +/- 0.2 mM, p less than 0.05) were lower.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗

Calcium channel blockers in congestive heart failure: theoretic considerations and clinical experience.

Although it has been suggested that calcium channel blocking agents may be utilized as vasodilators in patients with congestive heart failure, these agents also have the potential to cause a deterioration in cardiac function because of their negative inotropic actions. There is considerable variation among the available agents with regard to their relative effects on the vasculature, myocardial inotropy, and myocardial chronotropy. Thus, at clinically relevant dosages, nifedipine is a potent systemic and coronary vasodilator, but it has little or no direct effect on inotropy and chronotropy. In contrast, verapamil exerts significant negative inotropic and chronotropic effects at vasodilatory dosages, whereas diltiazem is a potent vasodilator with a negative chronotropic action at dosages that do not affect inotropy. In patients with heart failure, the largest experience so far has been with nifedipine. Data derived from over 100 patients with moderate to severe congestive heart failure indicate a generally beneficial net hemodynamic response to nifedipine, with substantial improvements in cardiac index (+24 percent) and left ventricular filling pressure (-15 percent). The major effect seems to be on arteriolar resistance vessels, resulting in a reduction in afterload, with relatively little effect on venous pressures. Limited data suggest that the initial effect is sustained during long-term therapy. The clinical experience with verapamil and diltiazem in patients with heart failure is at present limited. In patients with normal or mildly impaired left ventricular function, verapamil's vasodilator and negative inotropic effects are counterbalanced. With severe left ventricular dysfunction, however, treatment with verapamil can result in abrupt decompensation and development of overt pulmonary edema and hypotension. Diltiazem's relative lack of negative inotropic effects may allow it to be used safely in patients with congestive heart failure, particularly when control of supraventricular tachyarrhythmia is required.

Calcium↗

Inotropic, vascular and neuroendocrine effects of nifedipine in heart failure: comparison with nitroprusside.

To evaluate the short-term hemodynamic and neuroendocrine effects of nifedipine in heart failure, it was compared with nitroprusside, a balanced vasodilator without known inotropic effect, in equihypotensive doses during right and left heart catheterization in nine patients with heart failure. Mean arterial pressure decreased from 89 +/- 12 to 76 +/- 14 mm Hg with nitroprusside, and from 90 +/- 12 to 75 +/- 13 mm Hg with sublingual nifedipine. Right atrial, pulmonary artery, pulmonary capillary wedge and left ventricular end-diastolic pressures decreased significantly with nitroprusside, but not with nifedipine. Cardiac index and stroke volume index increased to a similar extent with both drugs; in contrast, stroke work index increased significantly with nitroprusside, but not with nifedipine. Peak rate of left ventricular pressure development (dP/dt) (measured with a micromanometer-tipped catheter in seven patients) was unchanged with nitroprusside, but decreased significantly with nifedipine (747 +/- 292 to 639 +/- 238 mm Hg/s; p less than 0.002). There was no change in heart rate with either medication. Plasma norepinephrine and epinephrine concentrations were not altered significantly by either drug. Plasma renin activity was not changed by nitroprusside infusion, but was increased after the administration of nifedipine. Thus, in contrast to the balanced vasodilator action of nitroprusside, the effect of nifedipine is predominantly on the arterial circulation. In these patients with heart failure, reflex sympathetic stimulation did not occur in response to a decrease in systemic arterial pressure by either vasodilator. A negative inotropic effect occurred after the administration of nifedipine, but not nitroprusside.

Adult↗

Attenuation of coronary vascular resistance by selective alpha 1-adrenergic blockade in patients with coronary artery disease.

Alpha-adrenergic-mediated coronary vasoconstriction during stress such as cold pressor testing may contribute to myocardial ischemia by increasing coronary vascular resistance in patients with severe coronary artery disease. Nonselective alpha-receptor blockade with phentolamine abolishes both the peripheral and coronary vasoconstriction during cold pressor testing, but causes reflex tachycardia and increased inotropy. To determine the role of selective alpha 1-receptor blockade, the changes in coronary vascular resistance during cold pressor testing were measured in 18 patients with coronary artery disease before and after intravenous administration of 100 mg of trimazosin. Cold pressor testing was performed at a constant paced subanginal heart rate of 95 +/- 5 beats/min (+/- 1 SD). Before trimazosin, cold pressor testing increased mean arterial pressure by 9 +/- 4% (102 +/- 14 to 111 +/- 14 mm Hg, p less than 0.001) with no change in coronary sinus blood flow, but significantly increased coronary vascular resistance by 15 +/- 19% (1.02 +/- 0.46 to 1.15 +/- 0.57 units, p less than 0.05). Five minutes after trimazosin, cold pressor testing increased mean arterial pressure by 6 +/- 5% (p less than 0.001) with a marked attenuation of the increase in coronary vascular resistance (6 +/- 11%, p = NS), which was significantly less than before trimazosin (p less than 0.02). Trimazosin did not increase plasma norepinephrine concentration at rest, suggesting that in the dosage used trimazosin caused selective alpha 1-receptor blockade.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists↗

Positive inotropic and vasodilator actions of milrinone in patients with severe congestive heart failure. Dose-response relationships and comparison to nitroprusside.

Milrinone is a potent positive inotropic and vascular smooth muscle-relaxing agent in vitro, and therefore, it is not known to what extent each of these actions contributes to the drug's hemodynamic effects in patients with heart failure. In 11 patients with New York Heart Association class III or IV congestive heart failure, incremental intravenous doses of milrinone were administered to determine the dose-response relationships for heart rate, systemic vascular resistance, and inotropic state, the latter measured by peak positive left ventricular derivative of pressure with respect to time (dP/dt). To clarify further the role of a positive inotropic action, the relative effects of milrinone and nitroprusside on left ventricular stroke work and dP/dt were compared in each patient at doses matched to cause equivalent reductions in mean arterial pressure or systemic vascular resistance, indices of left ventricular afterload. Milrinone caused heart rate, stroke volume, and dP/dt to increase, and systemic vascular resistance to decrease in a concentration-related manner. At the two lowest milrinone doses resulting in serum concentrations of 63 +/- 4 and 156 +/- 5 ng/ml, respectively, milrinone caused significant increases in stroke volume and dP/dt, but no changes in systemic vascular resistance or heart rate. At the maximum milrinone dose administered (mean serum concentration, 427 +/- 11 ng/ml), heart rate increased from 92 +/- 4 to 99 +/- 4 bpm (P less than 0.01), mean aortic pressure fell from 82 +/- 3 to 71 +/- 3 mmHg (P less than 0.01), right atrial pressure fell from 15 +/- 2 to 7 +/- 1 mmHg (P less than 0.005), left ventricular end-diastolic pressure fell from 26 +/- 3 to 18 +/- 3 (P less than 0.005), stroke volume index increased from 20 +/- 2 to 30 +/- 2 ml/m2 (P less than 0.005), stroke work index increased from 14 +/- 2 to 21 +/- 2 g X m/m2 (P less than 0.01), and dP/dt increased from 858 +/- 54 to 1,130 +/- 108 mmHg/s (P less than 0.005). When compared with nitroprusside for a matched reduction in mean aortic pressure or systemic vascular resistance, milrinone caused a significantly greater increase in stroke work index at the same or lower left ventricular end-diastolic pressure. Milrinone caused a concentration-related increase in dP/dt (32% increase at maximum milrinone dose), whereas nitroprusside had no effect. These data in patients with severe heart failure indicate that in addition to a vasodilating effect, milrinone exerts a concentration-related positive inotropic action that contributes significantly to the drug's overall hemodynamic effects. The positive inotropic action occurs at drug levels that do not exert significant chronotropic or vasodilator effects.

Adult↗

Cultured vascular smooth muscle cells: an in vitro system for study of alpha-adrenergic receptor coupling and regulation.

Cultured vascular smooth muscle cells derived by enzymatic dissociation of rabbit aortic media were used for study of alpha 1-adrenergic receptors (AAR) and receptor-coupled calcium flux. AAR were characterized by binding of the alpha 1-selective radioligand [3H]prazosin, and norepinephrine-stimulated 45calcium efflux was measured as an index of AAR-mediated calcium flux. The binding of [3H]prazosin to a crude cellular homogenate was to a single, saturable site of high affinity (Kd = 0.15 nM, Bmax = 75-125 fmol/mg protein), which was stereo-specific and exhibited the appropriate potency order for competition by agonists. Prazosin (Kd = 0.07 nM) was approximately 3000-fold more potent than the alpha 2-selective antagonist yohimbine (Kd = 222 nM), both of which exhibited Hill coefficients of one, indicative of binding to a single receptor type. In intact cells, norepinephrine caused a concentration-related (EC50 = 100 nM) increase in 45calcium efflux which was blocked by low concentrations of prazosin (IC50 approximately equal to 0.1 nM), but not yohimbine (IC50 greater than 100 nM). An alpha 1-selective concentration of prazosin (100 nM) fully blocked norepinephrine-stimulated 45calcium efflux, and therefore, it appears that this effect does not involve alpha 2-adrenergic receptors. Treatment of cultured cells with 1-norepinephrine for 48 h caused a concentration-related decrease in both AAR density and maximum norepinephrine-stimulated 45calcium efflux. This cultured vascular smooth muscle cell system provides several advantages for the study of alpha-adrenergic receptor coupling and regulation.

Animals↗

Nonlinear relationship between alpha 1-adrenergic receptor occupancy and norepinephrine-stimulated calcium flux in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells.

To determine the relationship between vascular alpha 1-adrenergic receptor occupancy and receptor-coupled calcium flux, we have studied [3H]prazosin binding and l-norepinephrine-induced 45Ca efflux in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells isolated from the rabbit aorta. In a crude cellular homogenate, [3H]prazosin bound to a single high affinity site (Kd = 0.096 nM; Bmax = 105 +/- 15 fmol/mg of protein), whereas l-norepinephrine (NE) binding was best described by a two-site model with 43 +/- 8% of sites of high affinity (KH = 92 +/- 3 nM) and 57 +/- 7% of sites of low affinity (KL = 7460 +/- 4330 nM). NE-stimulated 45Ca efflux was concentration-dependent (EC50 = 108 nM) and potently inhibited by prazosin (IC50 = 0.15 nM), but not yohimbine (no inhibition at 10 microM). For the total receptor pool identified by [3H]prazosin binding, the relationship between receptor occupancy by NE and NE-stimulated 45Ca efflux was markedly nonlinear, such that 50% of maximum NE-stimulated efflux occurred with occupancy of only approximately 7% of receptors. Likewise, following irreversible inactivation of 69 +/- 5% of receptors by phenoxybenzamine, maximal NE-stimulated 45Ca efflux was decreased by only 8 +/- 2%. These two experimental approaches provide direct evidence for the presence in cultured rabbit aortic smooth muscle cells of a sizable pool of alpha 1-adrenergic receptors in excess of those needed for maximum NE-stimulated 45Ca efflux. This evidence of "spare" receptors, together with the finding of two affinity states of agonist binding, raises the possibility of functional heterogeneity of alpha 1-adrenergic receptors in this system.

Animals↗

Effects of prostacyclin on coronary hemodynamics at rest and in response to cold pressor testing in patients with angina pectoris.

To assess the effect of prostacyclin on the diseased coronary circulation basally and, in particular, on the coronary responses to the cold pressor test, a small dose of 4 ng/kg/min and a large dose of 8 to 10 ng/kg/min was infused in 11 patients with stable angina pectoris. Coronary blood flow was measured by coronary sinus thermodilution technique. The mean blood pressure decreased from 97 +/- 5 to 89 +/- 5 mm Hg during the low-dose infusion (p less than 0.005) and to 81 +/- 5 mm Hg during the high-dose infusion (p less than 0.001); the heart rate increased from 65 +/- 4 to 69 +/- 4 beats/min during the low-dose infusion (p less than 0.05) and to 78 +/- 5 beats/min during the high-dose infusion (p less than 0.001). Systemic vascular resistance decreased by 11 +/- 4% with small doses (p less than 0.05) and by 38 +/- 4% with large doses (p less than 0.001) of prostacyclin, and coronary vascular resistance decreased by 16 +/- 7% (p less than 0.05) with the small dose and by 29 +/- 6% (p less than 0.001) with the large dose of prostacyclin. Seven of 11 patients showed a baseline vasoconstrictor response to the cold pressor test (increase in coronary vascular resistance of 11 +/- 2%). This increase in coronary vascular resistance was not altered by either the small or the large dose of prostacyclin. Thus, prostacyclin causes marked coronary and systemic vasodilation, with no evidence of selective enhancement of the sensitivity of the diseased coronary circulation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Angina Pectoris↗

Improvement in indexes of diastolic performance in patients with congestive heart failure treated with milrinone.

To elucidate the mechanisms by which the new bipyridine inotropic agent milrinone improves cardiac function, we examined multiple indexes of left ventricular diastolic function before and after administration of milrinone to patients with advanced (NYHA class III or IV) congestive heart failure. In 13 patients left ventricular pressure measurements were made with a micromanometer to permit assessment of peak negative dP/dt and the time constant of left ventricular isovolumic relaxation, T, before and after milrinone. In nine patients radionuclide ventriculographic studies were performed during left heart catheterization, allowing calculation of left ventricular peak filling rate, volumes, and the diastolic pressure-volume relationship before and after milrinone. After intravenous administration of milrinone, peak negative dP/dt increased (+ 18%; p less than .01) and T decreased (-30%; p less than .01), while heart rate increased by only 8% (87 +/- 12 to 94 +/- 15 beats/min; p less than .01), left ventricular systolic pressure did not change, and mean aortic pressure fell by 11% (p less than .01). Left ventricular peak filling rate increased (1.2 +/- 0.6 to 1.7 +/- 0.7 end-diastolic volumes/sec; p less than or equal to .02) despite a decrease in left ventricular filling pressure (mean pulmonary wedge pressure 27 +/- 7 to 18 +/- 9 mm Hg; p less than .01). There was a fall in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (28.6 +/- 6 to 19 +/- 7 mm Hg; p less than or equal to .01), with no significant change in left ventricular end-diastolic volume. This was associated with a downward shift in the left ventricular diastolic pressure-volume relationship in most cases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗

Regulation of myocardial and vascular alpha-adrenergic receptor affinity. Effects of guanine nucleotides, cations, estrogen, and catecholamine depletion.

The threshold sensitivity of cardiovascular tissues to alpha-adrenergic stimulation is determined largely by the affinity of alpha-adrenergic receptors for agonists. To determine whether changes in alpha-adrenergic receptor affinity could contribute to the regulation of cardiac and vascular responsiveness, we used the alpha-adrenergic-selective radioligands, [3H]prazosin, [3H]-WB-4101, and [3H]rauwalscine, to study and contrast the determinants of alpha-adrenergic receptor affinity in myocardium and vascular smooth muscle from the rat. In both tissues, l-epinephrine binding to the alpha 1-adrenergic receptor describes a shallow curve suggesting more than one affinity state. Computer analysis of binding to myocardial alpha 1-receptors indicates that 15% are of high affinity (Kd = 11 nM) and 85% are of low affinity (Kd = 400 nM). Expression of high affinity sites is magnesium dependent (maximum effect, 5-10 mM), and suppressed by the guanosine 5'-triphosphate analogue Gpp(NH)p (maximum effect, 1 mM) and sodium (maximum effect, 100-200 mM). In vascular smooth muscle, agonist-binding curves are also shallow and exhibit a similar response to that of Gpp(NH)p. Basal receptor affinity in myocardium is significantly higher (5.4-fold) than in vascular smooth muscle. Unlike vascular smooth muscle, in which alpha 1-adrenergic receptor affinity is increased by estrogen or reserpine treatment of the animal, the receptor in myocardium is unaffected by these treatments. In vascular smooth muscle, following reserpine-induced increase in alpha-adrenergic receptor affinity, the Gpp(NH)p effect is still present. Thus, alpha 1-adrenergic receptors in both myocardium and vascular smooth muscle exist in two affinity states and are subject to regulation by several factors, including guanine nucleotides, mono- and divalent cations, tissue of origin, sex hormones, and the level of sympathetic stimulation. Potentially, alterations in alpha 1-adrenergic receptor affinity, independent of a change in receptor number, may play an important role in the regulation of cardiovascular tissue responsiveness to catecholamines.

Animals↗