钙激活氯离子通道对大鼠肺动脉张力的调节作用

目的：研究钙激活氯离子通道及其通道阻断剂尼氟灭酸（niflumic acid,NFA）、indaryloxyacetic acid（IAA-94）在苯福林（phenylephrine,PE）引起的肺动脉收缩中的作用。方法：常规离体血管灌流法检测肺动脉环张力;采用钙荧光探针（Fura-2／AM）负载急性酶分离法（胶原酶Ⅰ型和木瓜蛋白酶）获得的大鼠肺动脉平滑肌细胞（PASMCs）,观察NFA和IAA-94对PE诱导的PASMCs胞浆游离钙离子浓度（[Ca^2＋]i）的影响,用荧光分光光度计法检测[Ca^2＋]i。结果：钙激活氯离子通道阻断剂NFA和IAA-94可以舒张PE引起的肺动脉环收缩;NFA和IAA-94对KCl引起的血管收缩无影响;PE可以引起[Ca^2＋]i升高,NFA和IAA-94对PE诱导[Ca^2＋]i升高无影响。结论：钙激活氯离子通道在生理状态下与血管活性药（PE）引起的肺动脉张力变化有关,这为研究其在低氧肺血管收缩中的作用提供了新的线索。     

强啡肽抑制离体血管收缩效应的机制

用离体血管电场刺激收缩模型观察到强啡肽明显抑制电场刺激引起的兔耳中心动脉及兔肠系膜上动脉的收缩效应,且呈剂量反应关系,而对股动脉的电场刺激收缩反应无明显影响,强啡肽抑制血管收缩达50％时的用量(IC_(50)值)分别为8.5±1.2×10~(-6)mol/L、5.02±1.3×10~(-7)mol/L及>10~(-6)mol/L。 用药物分析法看到,酚妥拉明(10~(-6)mol/L)可取消电场刺激及去甲肾上腺素引起的血管收缩作用,而强啡肽仅抑制电场刺激致血管收缩作用。 用HPLC法测定孵育液中去甲肾上腺素的含量变化时看到,应用强啡肽(5×10~(-7)mol/L)后孵育液中去甲肾上腺素的含量从对照组的340.56±73.13pg/ml下降至67.91±10.26pg/ml,两组差别有极显著意义(P<0.01)。纳洛酮(10~(-6)mol/L)可完全拮抗强啡肽的这一抑制效应。 以上结果提示强啡肽可能通过抑制交感神经末梢释放去甲肾上腺素,从而产生抑制血管的收缩作用。     

钙激活氯通道对大鼠脑基底动脉舒缩活动的影响

本文旨在观察钙激活氯通道(calcium-activated Cl-channels,CaCCs)在大鼠脑基底动脉舒缩活动中的作用。应用压力肌动图技术观察给予不同药物干预后大鼠脑基底动脉血管段直径的变化。结果显示:(1)脑基底动脉管腔内压力为0~100 mmHg时,压力诱发引起的脑血管舒缩活动的比例为78.6%(n=28),且血管的收缩比舒张反应更快。(2)脑基底动脉管腔内压力为60 mmHg时,振幅平均值为(62.6±6.4)μm(n=22),频率平均为(8.0±2.3)次/5 min(n=22)。(3)在细胞外液无钙时,血管段舒缩活动减弱。(4)在细胞外液加入L-型钙通道阻断剂尼莫地平,血管段舒缩活动减弱。(5)在细胞外液加入CaCCs通道阻断剂尼氟灭酸(niflumic acid,NFA)和NPPB[5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamine)benzoic acid],压力诱发的血管舒缩活动减弱,并使脑基底动脉血管保持持续舒张。以上结果提示,管腔内压力诱发的脑基底动脉血管舒缩活动与细胞外钙内流及CaCCs作用相关。     

氯离子通道阻断剂对豚鼠耳蜗螺旋动脉平滑肌细胞兴奋性接头电位的影响

血管平滑肌细胞膜上存在氯离子通道,不仅参与调节平滑肌细胞的肌原性紧张,而且参与多种血管床的神经平滑肌细胞之间的信息传递,但氯离子通道及其阻断剂对耳蜗螺旋动脉（spiral modiol arartery,SMA）平滑肌细胞兴奋性接头电位（excitatory junction potential,EJP）是否有影响,尚不清楚。本实验运用细胞内微电极记录技术,在豚鼠耳蜗SMA离体标本上,研究氯通道阻断剂（niflumic acid,NFA,indanyloxyacetic acid 94,IAA-94;disodium 4,4’-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2．2’-disulfonate,DIDS）对去甲肾上腺素（norepinephrine,NE）引起SMA平滑肌细胞去极化反应和平滑肌细胞EJP的影响。结果显示,多数SMA平滑肌细胞在适宜的刺激下,通过神经兴奋传递产生EJP（75％,n=49）。在联合使用α1（prazosin,0．1-1 μmol／L）,α2（idazoxan,0．3-1μmol／L）和P2x（PPADS,10-100μmol／L）受体拮抗剂时,所产生的EJP幅值仅有30％-80％被抑制。在使用上述拮抗剂的基础上,NFA（10-1000μmol/L）能进一步抑制EJP,而且缩短EJP的时程。减少细胞外氯离子浓度（由135．6mmol／L减少到60mmol／L）,在同样刺激强度下激起的EJP的幅度和时程均增加,低氯的这一作用可被IAA-94和DIDS所反转。NFA和IAA-94也可进一步抑制α1、α2和β受体拮抗剂联合使用不能消除的NE（1—50μmol／L）引起的去极化反应。结果提示：NE可能通过激活一类非α、非β肾上腺能受体（可能属于γ肾上腺能受体）引起氯离子通道开放,增加氯离子电导,调节耳蜗SMA平滑肌细胞的生理活动。     

老年大鼠血管α1肾上腺素受体及其亚型的改变

本工作用离体与整体实验方法,研究了老年(18月龄)与年轻(3月龄)大鼠血管中 α_1肾上腺素受体储备和 α_1(?)与 α_(1b)亚型比值的差别。在离体实验中用机械方法分离血管,用 Krebs 溶液灌流,在灌流液中加入 α_2和 β肾上腺素受体拮抗剂,然后用去甲肾上腺素(NE)激动 α_1受体。结果显示;老年大鼠主动脉、肾动脉和肠系膜动脉由去甲肾上腺素(NE)引起的最大收缩反应与年轻大鼠无显著差别,但浓度-效应曲线显著右移,功能性解离常数 K_A 值不变,而 K_A 与EC_(50)的比值减小。此外,在老年大鼠主动脉和肠系膜动脉血管,选择性 α_(1b)亚型拮抗剂 CEC对 NE 引起的缩血管效应的阻断作用显著减弱,硝苯吡啶(选择性阻断 α_(1a) 亚型的效应)对 NE 缩血管效应的阻断作用显著增强。整体实验显示老年大鼠硝苯吡啶的降血压作用比年轻大鼠增强,在用硝苯吡啶的基础上给予苯肾上腺素升血压作用减弱。上述结果提示:与年轻大鼠相比较,老年大鼠 α_(1-) 肾上腺素受体储备减少,α_(1a) 亚型相对 α_(1b)亚型的比率增高。     

尼氟灭酸在大鼠低氧高二氧化碳性肺血管收缩中的作用

目的：探讨氯离子通道阻断剂一尼氟灭酸（NFA）在大鼠低氧高二氧化碳性肺血管收缩（HHPV）中的作用。方法：采用大鼠HHPV模型,二、三级动脉环分别随机分4组（n=8）：常氧组（N组）、低氧高二氧化碳组（H组）、DMSO组（HD组）、尼氟灭酸组（NFA组）。在急性低氧高二氧化碳介质中,采用NFA分别孵育肺二、三级肺动脉环,按照低氧高二氧化碳反应性测定的方法测定其二、三级肺动脉血管环张力的变化,并观察NFA对HHPV的影响。结果：①H组二、三级肺动脉均呈现双向性收缩变化（I期快速收缩、快速舒张;II期持续性收缩）与N组相比有显著性差异（P〈0．05,P〈0．01）;②NFA组二、三级肺动脉环的低氧高二氧化碳性血管收缩作用明显减弱,尤其是Ⅱ期的持续收缩,与HD组相比有显著性差异（P〈0．05,P〈0．01）。结论：氯离子通道阻断剂一尼氟灭酸可减轻大鼠二、三级肺动脉环的张力变化率（尤其是Ⅱ期的持续性收缩）,从而发挥拮抗HHPV的作用。     

熊果酸激活低分化鼻咽癌细胞氯通道和减小细胞容积

本文旨在研究熊果酸对低分化鼻咽癌细胞氯通道的激活作用,以及熊果酸对其细胞容积的影响。采用膜片钳技术记录熊果酸激活的鼻咽癌细胞(CNE-2Z)全细胞氯电流,应用离子置换、改变细胞外渗透压、氯通道阻断剂等观察熊果酸诱导的氯电流的特性,活细胞动态图像分析技术测量细胞容积变化。结果显示,等渗条件下可记录到CNE-2Z细胞微弱且稳定的背景氯电流,细胞外灌流熊果酸可浓度依赖性(1～100nmol/L)诱发氯电流的产生,在±80mV电压钳制下,100nmol/L熊果酸激活的氯电流的平均电流密度为(78.92±6.39)pA/pF和(59.86±4.86)pA/pF,该电流具有较明显的外向优势,不表现明显的时间依赖性和电压依赖性失活。该电流翻转电位为(4.83±0.30)mV,较接近Cl平衡电位(0.9mV)。熊果酸激活的氯通道对不同阴离子的通透性为:Cl-=I->Br->葡萄酸根离子。该电流具有容积敏感性,可被细胞外高渗透压显著抑制;氯通道阻断剂他莫昔芬(tamoxifen)、5-硝基-2-(3-苯丙胺)苯甲酸[(5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpro-pylamino)benzoic acid,NPPB]可抑制该电流。细胞外灌流熊果酸1h后,细胞容积减小,氯通道阻断剂NPPB可抑制该容积变化。以上结果提示,熊果酸可以激活低分化鼻咽癌细胞的氯通道,使Cl外流,进而引起细胞容积减小。     

迁移的鼻咽癌细胞容积激活性氯电流

用膜片钳技术研究了Transwell小室趋化迁移后的鼻咽癌CNE-2Z细胞容积激活性CT电流。47％低渗刺激迁移后的CNE-2Z细胞诱发容积激活性氯电流,与未迁移细胞相比,其特性以及其对氯通道阻断剂的敏感性发生明显的变化,此电流的密度明显高于未迁移细胞,而且该电流几乎完全被氯通道阻断剂adenosine-5'-triphosphate(ATP,10 mmol/L)、5-nitro-2-3-phenylpropylamino benzoic acid(NPPB,100μmol/L)和他莫昔芬(30μmol/L)抑制,其中NPPB和他莫昔芬对迁移细胞的抑制作用明显强于未迁移细胞。迁移后的CNE-2Z细胞容积激活性氯通道对阴离子的通透性为:Br>Cl>I>葡萄糖酸,与未迁移细胞(I>Br>Cl>葡萄糖酸)不同。结果提示,容积激活性氯通道可能参与CNE-2Z细胞的迁移过程。     

香青兰总黄酮对大鼠离体胸主动脉的舒张作用

香青兰(Dracocephalum MoldavicaL.)为传统维吾尔族药材,具有补益心脑之功效,现代研究表明其对冠心病、心绞痛等病具有治疗作用。该文作者采用大鼠离体胸主动脉灌流技术,观察了香青兰总黄酮的血管舒张作用,旨在为阐明其活性物质基础和作用机制提供依据。结果表明:1)10.0～40.0mg/L香青兰总黄酮对内皮完整和去内皮大鼠主动脉环的基础张力没有明显影响。2)10.0～40.0mg/L香青兰总黄酮对去甲肾上腺素(NE,10μmol/L)所致的内皮完整和去内皮血管均有浓度依赖性的舒张作用,对内皮完整血管的舒张作用更强;一氧化氮合酶抑制剂左旋硝基精氨酸甲酯L-NAME(0.1mmol/L)、鸟苷酸环化酶抑制剂亚甲蓝(10μmol/L)和环氧合酶抑制剂吲哚美辛(10μmol/L)预处理均可一定程度上抑制香青兰总黄酮的血管舒张作用,表明血管内皮合成的一氧化氮(NO)信号通路和前列环素(PGI2)信号通路参与了香青兰总黄酮的血管舒张作用。3)香青兰总黄酮预处理去内皮血管环可以抑制细胞外钙内流所致的血管收缩,但对细胞内钙释放所致的血管收缩没有影响,香青兰总黄酮对高钾(60mmol/L KCl)所致血管收缩没有...     

钙激活性氯离子通道在低氧性肺血管双相收缩反应中的作用

本文旨在探讨钙激活性氯离子通道(ClCa)在二级肺动脉血管低氧性肺血管收缩(hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction,HPV)中的作用。分离Sprague-Dawley(SD)雄性大鼠二级肺动脉血管,采用离体血管灌流法记录血管环张力变化。结果显示,常氧条件下,ClCa抑制剂尼氟灭酸(10和50μmol/L)和IAA-94(10μmol/L)使去甲肾上腺素收缩的二级肺动脉环血管产生明显的舒张反应(P0.01),但对KCl收缩的二级肺动脉环血管并无影响。低氧条件下1 h内,去甲肾上腺素预收缩的二级肺动脉血管环出现双相性HPV反应,KCl预收缩的血管环无双相性收缩反应。尼氟灭酸和IAA-9明显减弱II期收缩反应(均P0.01),对I期舒张反应也有显著减弱作用(均P0.01),但对I期收缩几乎无影响。以上结果提示,ClCa是二级肺动脉血管双相性收缩反应II期收缩形成的一个重要因素,而在I期收缩中无明显作用。     

Chloride channel activity of vascular smooth muscle in the spontaneous hypertensive rats

To characterize the activity of the Ca2+-activated Cl- channels in vascular smooth muscle (VSM) of the spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHR), the isolated mesenteric vascular beds and tail artery strips were preparated from SHR and Wistar rats aged 7-8 weeks. The changes in contractile response to norepinphrine (NE) were taken as an index of vascular mortion. Results showed that the contractile responses of mesenteric arteries and tail arteries to NE in SHR were significantly greater than that in Wistar rats. The inhibition magnitude of the contractile response by Ca2+-activated Cl- channel blocker, niflumic acid in SHR was significantly less than that in Wistar rats. Decreasing the extracellular Cl- concentration increased the contractile response to NE significantly, but the amplitude of enhanced contractile response in SHR was greater than that in Wistar rats. It can be concluded that NE-induced contraction was enhanced in SHR, which is partly due to an increase in Cl- efflux through the Ca2+-activated Cl- channels. The chloride channel activity may be increased in association with the elevation of blood pressure.     

Transport of Cl– across the Plasma Membrane during Pollen Grain Germination in Tobacco

The role of Cl- transport across the plasma membrane was studied in an early step of pollen grain germination in tobacco Nicotiana tabacum L. The Cl- channel blockers, 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)benzoic acid (NPPB) and niflumic acid, completely suppress the germination with IC(50) approximately 8 micro M. At this concentration NPPB reduces the rate of Cl- efflux out of pollen grain by 1.8-fold in the interval 5-12 min, and niflumic acid reduces the rate 1.2-fold. 4,4;-Diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2;-disulfonic acid, a known inhibitor of Cl- channels and antiporters, completely suppresses germination as well (IC(50) = 240 micro M), but has no effect on the rate of Cl- efflux. Inhibitors of chloride co-transporters, such as furosemide, bumetanide, and bis(1,3-dibutylbarbituric acid)pentamethine oxonol, suppress the germination by less than 50%. This set of data suggests that NPPB-sensitive anion channels are involved in the activation of pollen grains in the early stage of germination.     

Anion channels influence ECC by modulating L-type Ca(2+) channel in ventricular myocytes.

Anion channels are extensively expressed in the heart, but their roles in cardiac excitation-contraction coupling (ECC) are poorly understood. We, therefore, investigated the effects of anion channels on cardiac ventricular ECC. Edge detection, fura 2 fluorescence measurements, and whole cell patch-clamp techniques were used to measure cell shortening, the intracellular Ca(2+) transient, and the L-type Ca(2+) current (I(Ca,L)) in single rat ventricular myocytes. The anion channel blockers 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)benzoic acid (NPPB) and niflumic acid reversibly inhibited the Ca(2+) transients and cell shortening in a dose-dependent manner. Comparable results were observed when the majority of the extracellular Cl(-) was replaced with the relatively impermeant anions glutamate (Glt(-)) and aspartate (Asp(-)). NPPB and niflumic acid or the Cl(-) substitutes did not affect the resting intracellular Ca(2+) concentration but significantly inhibited I(Ca,L). In contrast, replacement of extracellular Cl(-) with the permeant anions NO, SCN(-), and Br(-) supported the ECC and I(Ca,L), which were still sensitive to blockade by NPPB. Exposure of cardiac ventricular myocytes to a hypotonic bath solution enhanced the amplitude of cell shortening and supported I(Ca,L), whereas hypertonic stress depressed the contraction and I(Ca,L). Moreover, cardiac contraction was completely abolished by NPPB (50 microM) under hypotonic conditions. It is concluded that a swelling-activated anion channel may be involved in the regulation of cardiac ECC through modulating L-type Ca(2+) channel activity.     

Vasorelaxant effects of forsythide isolated from the leaves of Forsythia viridissima on NE-induced aortal contraction

Forsythide (F1) isolated from the leaves of Forsythia viridissima (Oleaceae) showed vasorelaxant effects on norepinephrine (NE)-induced contraction of rat aorta with or without endothelium. This compound did not affect contraction induced by high concentration potassium (60 mM K⁺) and phorbol 12,13-diacetate, but inhibited NE-induced contraction in the presence of nicardipine. These results demonstrated the inhibitory effects of F1 on NE-induced vasocontraction presumably due to decrease of calcium influx from extracellular area, which was induced by NE.     

NPPB对低渗诱导海马神经元凋亡的拮抗作用

目的观察体积调节性氯离子通道阻滞剂NPPB对低渗条件下神经元凋亡的影响。方法采用原代培养的大鼠海马神经元细胞,实验分为对照组(无低渗溶液处理)、低渗组、低渗加NPPB干预组;在不同时间点(10min、30min、60min),应用AnnexinⅤ/PI流式细胞检测以及免疫细胞荧光三标法(TUNEL/MAP-2/DAPI)检测各实验组神经元凋亡的情况。结果与对照组相比,神经元在低渗干预10min后凋亡细胞明显增多,60min时神经元的凋亡达到高峰(P0.01),而NPPB干预组在各时间点凋亡神经元相对低渗组明显下降(P0.01),较正常对照组增高。结论低渗条件可诱导体外培养海马神经元细胞凋亡,体积调节性氯离子通道阻滞剂NPPB可以显著降低低渗诱导的神经元凋亡,提示VRAC通道参与了低渗诱导的神经元凋亡。     

Regulation of taurine transport in rat hippocampal neurons by hypo-osmotic swelling

Taurine, an important mediator of cellular volume regulation in the central nervous system, is accumulated into neurons and glia by means of a highly specific sodium-dependent membrane transporter. During hyperosmotic cell shrinkage, net cellular taurine content increases as taurine transporter activity is enhanced via elevated gene expression of the transporter protein. In hypo-osmotic conditions, taurine is rapidly lost from cells by means of taurine-conducting membrane channels. We reasoned that changes in taurine transporter activity also might accompany cell swelling to minimize re-accumulation of taurine from the extracellular space. Thus, we determined the kinetic and pharmacological characteristics of neuronal taurine transport and the response to osmotic swelling. Accumulation of radioactive taurine is strongly temperature dependent and occurs via saturable and non-saturable pathways. At concentrations of taurine expected in extracellular fluid in vivo, 98% of taurine accumulation would occur via the saturable pathway. This pathway obeys Michaelis-Menten kinetics with a Km of 30.0 +/- 8.8 microm (mean +/- SE) and Jmax of 2.1 +/- 0.2 nmol/mg protein min. The saturable pathway is dependent on extracellular sodium with an effective binding constant of 80.0 +/- 3.1 mm and a Hill coefficient of 2.1 +/- 0.1. This pathway is inhibited by structural analogues of taurine and by the anion channel inhibitors, 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2, 2'-disulfonic acid (DIDS) and 5-nitro-2-(3 phenylpropylamino) benzoic acid (NPPB). NPPB, but not DIDS, also reduces the ATP content of the cell cultures. Osmotic swelling at constant extracellular sodium concentration reduces the Jmax of the saturable transport pathway by approximately 48%, increases Kdiff for the non-saturable pathway by 77%, but has no effect on cellular ATP content. These changes in taurine transport occurring in swollen neurons in vivo would contribute to net reduction of taurine content and resulting volume regulation.     

Chloride channel blockers inhibit Ca2+ uptake by the smooth muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum.

Despite the fact that Ca2+ transport into the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) of muscle cells is electrogenic, a potential difference is not maintained across the SR membrane. To achieve electroneutrality, compensatory charge movement must occur during Ca2+ uptake. To examine the role of Cl- in this charge movement in smooth muscle cells, Ca2+ transport into the SR of saponin-permeabilized smooth muscle cells was measured in the presence of various Cl- channel blockers or when I-, Br-, or SO42- was substituted for Cl-. Calcium uptake was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino) benzoic acid (NPPB) and by indanyloxyacetic acid 94 (R(+)-IAA-94), but not by niflumic acid or 4,4'-dinitrostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (DNDS). Smooth muscle SR Ca2+ uptake was also partially inhibited by the substitution of SO42- for Cl-, but not when Cl- was replaced by I- or Br-. Neither NPPB nor R(+)-IAA-94 inhibited Ca2+ uptake into cardiac muscle SR vesicles at concentrations that maximally inhibited uptake in smooth muscle cells. These results indicate that Cl- movement is important for charge compensation in smooth muscle cells and that the Cl- channel or channels involved are different in smooth and cardiac muscle cells.     

Characterization of chloride transport pathways in cultured human keratinocytes.

In human keratinocytes, mediated transport of Cl- was found to occur mainly by two mechanisms: an anion exchange and an electrically conductive pathway. The contribution of the anion exchange, which accounted for about 50% of overall Cl- efflux, was assessed either by its sensitivity to inhibition by 4,4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (DIDS), and by means of Cl- substitution experiments. The anion exchange exhibited a saturation behaviour over the range 10-135 mM Cl-; Cl- was more efficient than HCO3-, Br- and NO3- in increasing Cl- efflux rate, whereas SO4(2-) and I- inhibited Cl- efflux. The electrically conductive Cl- pathway, which accounted for about 40% of total Cl- efflux, was inhibited by the Cl- channel blocker 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)benzoic acid (NPPB) and was at least partially sensitive to variation of the plasma membrane potential. The Cl- channel was insensitive to elevation in the intracellular concentration of either cyclic AMP and calcium ions. Indomethacin, an inhibitor of the cyclooxygenase, failed to reduce Cl- efflux, whereas nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA), an inhibitor of the lipoxygenase, induced 50% inhibition of Cl- efflux. These results support the conclusion that endogenous production of lipoxygenase-derived arachidonic acid metabolite(s) might be responsible for high basal Cl- permeability in human keratinocytes.     

Nicorandil is a potent dilator of endothelin-induced vascular contraction

Nicorandil, an antianginal drug, is known to open K+ channel and to increase cGMP production. The effects of nicorandil on vascular contraction induced by endothelin (ET), a potent newly discovered vasoconstrictor peptide, were investigated using helical strips from rat thoracic aorta. ET at a concentration of 5 x 10(-9) M induced strong and persistent contraction in the presence of extracellular Ca2+ and similar persistent but smaller contraction in the absence of extracellular Ca2+. Nicorandil at concentrations greater than 10(-7) M, strongly and dose-dependently inhibited ET-induced contraction in the presence of extracellular Ca2+. Nicorandil also suppressed ET-induced contraction in the presence of 10(-4) M methylene blue, an inhibitor of cGMP production, in the presence of extracellular Ca2+ but not in the absence of extracellular Ca2+. ET-induced contraction was also inhibited to lesser extents by the Ca2+ channel blockers nicardipine and verapamil. Nicorandil also strongly suppressed ET-induced increase in cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells. These results suggest that nicorandil is a potent dilator of ET-induced vasoconstriction.