Integrative control of coronary resistance vessel tone by endothelin and angiotensin II is altered in swine with a recent myocardial infarction

Several studies have indicated an interaction between the renin-angiotensin (ANG II) system and endothelin (ET) in the regulation of vascular tone. Previously, we have shown that both ET and ANG II exert a vasoconstrictor influence on the coronary resistance vessels of awake normal swine. Here, we investigated whether the interaction between ANG II and ET exists in the control of coronary resistance vessel tone at rest and during exercise using single and combined blockade of angiotensin type 1 (AT1) and ETA/ETBreceptors. Since both circulating ANG II and ET levels are increased after myocardial infarction (MI), we investigated if the interaction between these systems is altered after MI. In awake healthy swine, coronary vasodilation in response to ETA/ETBreceptor blockade in the presence of AT1 blockade was similar to vasodilation produced by ETA/ETBblockade under control conditions. In awake swine with a 2- to 3-wk-old MI, coronary vasodilator responses to individual AT1and ETA/ETBreceptor blockade were virtually abolished, despite similar coronary arteriolar AT1and ETAreceptor expression compared with normal swine. Unexpectedly, in the presence of AT1blockade (which had no effect on circulating ET levels), ETA/ETBreceptor blockade elicited a coronary vasodilator response. These findings suggest that in normal healthy swine the two vasoconstrictor systems contribute to coronary resistance vessel control in a linear additive manner, i.e., with negligible cross-talk. In contrast, in the remodeled myocardium, cross-talk between ANG II and ET emerges, resulting in nonlinear redundant control of coronary resistance vessel tone. Copyright

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