Abstract
The effects of the lectins, wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) and concanavalin A (Con A) on endothelium intact pre-contracted rabbit aorta were investigated. WGA (8.3 microM) produced endothelium-dependent relaxations, while Con A (4.3 microM) produced a partially endothelium-dependent relaxation. The endothelium-dependent relaxations to WGA were completely reversed by N-acetylglucosamine, haemoglobin and methylene blue and were partially reversed by NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA). It is suggested that WGA works as an agonist in releasing endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) from the endothelium of rabbit aorta by interacting with a glycosylated receptor on endothelial cells.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Furchgott R. F. The role of endothelium in the responses of vascular smooth muscle to drugs. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol. 1984;24:175–197. doi: 10.1146/annurev.pa.24.040184.001135. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Grulich-Henn J., Weksler B. B., Watanabe K., Jaffe E. A. Wheat germ agglutinin inhibits thrombin-induced rises in cytosolic free calcium and prostacyclin synthesis by human umbilical vein endothelial cells. J Cell Physiol. 1988 Dec;137(3):553–558. doi: 10.1002/jcp.1041370322. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Johns R. A., Peach M. J., Linden J., Tichotsky A. NG-monomethyl L-arginine inhibits endothelium-derived relaxing factor-stimulated cyclic GMP accumulation in cocultures of endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells by an action specific to the endothelial cell. Circ Res. 1990 Oct;67(4):979–985. doi: 10.1161/01.res.67.4.979. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Martin W., Villani G. M., Jothianandan D., Furchgott R. F. Selective blockade of endothelium-dependent and glyceryl trinitrate-induced relaxation by hemoglobin and by methylene blue in the rabbit aorta. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1985 Mar;232(3):708–716. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Mülsch A., Busse R., Liebau S., Förstermann U. LY 83583 interferes with the release of endothelium-derived relaxing factor and inhibits soluble guanylate cyclase. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1988 Oct;247(1):283–288. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Raub T. J., Koroly M. J., Roberts R. M. Endocytosis of wheat germ agglutinin binding sites from the cell surface into a tubular endosomal network. J Cell Physiol. 1990 Apr;143(1):1–12. doi: 10.1002/jcp.1041430102. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Weksler B. B., Ley C. W., Jaffe E. A. Stimulation of endothelial cell prostacyclin production by thrombin, trypsin, and the ionophore A 23187. J Clin Invest. 1978 Nov;62(5):923–930. doi: 10.1172/JCI109220. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- de Nucci G., Gryglewski R. J., Warner T. D., Vane J. R. Receptor-mediated release of endothelium-derived relaxing factor and prostacyclin from bovine aortic endothelial cells is coupled. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1988 Apr;85(7):2334–2338. doi: 10.1073/pnas.85.7.2334. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]