TY - JOUR
T1 - C-reactive protein relaxes human vessels in vitro
AU - Sternik, Leonid
AU - Samee, Saquib
AU - Schaff, Hartzel V.
AU - Zehr, Kenton J.
AU - Lerman, Lilach O.
AU - Holmes, David R.
AU - Herrmann, Joerg
AU - Lerman, Amir
PY - 2002/11/1
Y1 - 2002/11/1
N2 - Objective - C-reactive protein (CRP) is a sensitive marker of inflammation and a prognostic marker in cardiovascular disease. Evidence suggests direct biological activities of CRP within the vascular wall. The study was designed to examine the vasoreactive effects of CRP. Methods and Results - Human internal mammary artery rings were obtained during cardiovascular bypass surgery and suspended in an organ bath chamber. The rings were precontracted with endothelin-1, and response to cumulative concentrations of CRP was obtained. Experiments were repeated after initial incubation with 20, 40, and 60 mmol/L KCl, the potassium channel blockers BaCl, tetraethylammonium chloride, and glibenclamide, and the NO synthase inhibitor N-monomethyl-L-arginine and also after removal of the endothelium. CRP caused dose-dependent relaxation of human internal mammary artery rings, which was not affected by preincubation with N-monomethyl-L-arginine or removal of the endothelium. Maximum relaxation response to CRP (79.5±10%) was attenuated by KCl (2.5±11.5%, P<0.001), BaCl (24.5±7.5%, P<0.001), and tetraethylammonium chloride (34.9±8.25%, P<0.01) but not by glibenclamide. Conclusions - The present study demonstrates that CRP exerts an endothelium-independent vasorelaxing effect via potassium channels. Thus, the study suggests a role of CRP in the regulation of vascular tone.
AB - Objective - C-reactive protein (CRP) is a sensitive marker of inflammation and a prognostic marker in cardiovascular disease. Evidence suggests direct biological activities of CRP within the vascular wall. The study was designed to examine the vasoreactive effects of CRP. Methods and Results - Human internal mammary artery rings were obtained during cardiovascular bypass surgery and suspended in an organ bath chamber. The rings were precontracted with endothelin-1, and response to cumulative concentrations of CRP was obtained. Experiments were repeated after initial incubation with 20, 40, and 60 mmol/L KCl, the potassium channel blockers BaCl, tetraethylammonium chloride, and glibenclamide, and the NO synthase inhibitor N-monomethyl-L-arginine and also after removal of the endothelium. CRP caused dose-dependent relaxation of human internal mammary artery rings, which was not affected by preincubation with N-monomethyl-L-arginine or removal of the endothelium. Maximum relaxation response to CRP (79.5±10%) was attenuated by KCl (2.5±11.5%, P<0.001), BaCl (24.5±7.5%, P<0.001), and tetraethylammonium chloride (34.9±8.25%, P<0.01) but not by glibenclamide. Conclusions - The present study demonstrates that CRP exerts an endothelium-independent vasorelaxing effect via potassium channels. Thus, the study suggests a role of CRP in the regulation of vascular tone.
KW - Atherosclerosis
KW - C-reactive protein
KW - Inflammation
KW - Potassium channels
KW - Vasorelaxation
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U2 - 10.1161/01.ATV.0000033821.96354.90
DO - 10.1161/01.ATV.0000033821.96354.90
M3 - Article
C2 - 12426217
AN - SCOPUS:0036845090
SN - 1079-5642
VL - 22
SP - 1865
EP - 1868
JO - Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology
JF - Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology
IS - 11
ER -