MECHANISMS OF ACTION OF ENDOTHELIN-1 IN MATURING RABBIT AIRWAY SMOOTH-MUSCLE

Maturational differences in the effects and mechanisms of action of endothelin 1 (ET - 1) on airway contractility were investigated in tracheal smooth muscle (TSM) segments isolated from 2-wk-old and adult rabbits. In TSM under passive tension, ET-1 elicited dose-dependent contractions, with a potency of action that was significantly greater (P < 0.001) in the 2-wk-old vs. adult tissues (i.e., mean +/- SE - log 50% of maximal response values: 8.59 +/- 0.17 vs. 7.79 +/- 0.15 - log M, respectively). In TSM half-maximally contracted with acetylcholine (ACh), however, ET-1 elicited dual and opposing dose-dependent effects. At lower doses (less-than-or-equal-to 10(-9) M), ET - 1 induced TSM relaxation that was significantly greater in the adult vs. 2-wk-old TSM segments (i.e., approximately 100 vs. 26.5% decrease in active tension, respectively). The relaxant responses were associated with significantly enhanced (P < 0.001) ET-1-induced release of prostaglandins E2 and I2 in the adult tissues. At higher doses (> 10(-9) M), ET-1 induced TSM contractions that were 1) attenuated to a relatively greater extent by the Ca2+ channel blocker, nifedipine (10(-5) M) in the 2-wk-old tissues and 2) associated with significantly (P < 0.001) enhanced ET-1-stimulated accumulation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P3] in the immature TSM. Moreover, the TSM contractions were inhibited by the protein kinase C (PKC) antagonist, H-7, and the latter effect was more potent in the immature TSM. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that ET-1 exerts a potent duality of action in rabbit TSM which varies significantly with maturation, wherein 1) age-dependent differences in airway relaxation are associated with changes in the evoked release of bronchodilatory prostaglandins and 2) maturational differences in airway contraction are associated with changes in Ins(1,4,5)P3 accumulation and extracellular Ca2+ mobilization, coupled to differences in PKC activation.