Local overflow and enhanced tissue content of endothelin following myocardial ischaemia and reperfusion in the pig: modulation by L-arginine.

The local myocardial overflow and tissue content of endothelin-like immunoreactivity (ET-LI) during ischaemia and reperfusion as well as the coronary vascular effects of endothelin were characterised in anaesthetised pigs. Ischaemia was induced by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery for 45 min followed by 4 h of reperfusion. ET-LI was analysed in plasma from the anterior interventricular coronary vein and aorta for estimation of local overflow and in myocardial tissue. Endothelin analogues were given in the coronary artery for determination of local vascular effects. During reperfusion, but not during ischaemia, the veno-arterial concentration difference of ET-LI increased, resulting in a significantly increased overflow at between 10 and 120 min of reperfusion. The tissue concentration of ET-LI in the left ventricle was seven times higher in the ischaemic/reperfused area than in the non-ischaemic area: 161(SEM 30.5) v 25.3(3.8) fmol.g-1, P < 0.05. The increase in myocardial ET-LI was attenuated by 70% (P < 0.01) by coronary venous retroinfusion of the nitric oxide substrate L-arginine, whereas the overflow was unaffected. Chromatographic characterisation of the myocardial ET-LI showed that it was similar to endothelin-1. Intracoronary administration of endothelin-1, endothelin-3, and the endothelin ETB receptor agonist [Ala1,3,11,15]ET-1 evoked dose dependent coronary vasoconstriction, and reductions in left ventricular dP/dt and arterial blood pressure. Endothelin-1 was two times more potent than endothelin-3 and 10 times more potent than [Ala1,3,11,15]ET-1. Myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion evokes enhanced local overflow of ET-LI during the reperfusion period combined with an increased tissue concentration of ET-LI which is is attenuated by L-arginine. Endothelin evokes potent coronary vasoconstriction via activation of both ETA and ETB receptors.