The effects of phorbol esters were studied in rabbit carotid artery to evaluate the action of protein kinase C on the regulation of vascular tone by isoproterenol. the vascular rings, 2 mm in width, were myographied isometrically in an isolated
organ
bath and the effects of phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu) and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) were determined.
Isoproterenol, a beta adrenergic agonist, relaxed the vessel which was precontracted by phenylephrine, but not that by phorbol esters. The action of isoproterenol was attenuated by removal of endothelium or pretreatment with methylene blue or
nitro-L-arginine. The pretreatment with phorbol esters at concentrations which did not induce contraction, decreased isoproterenol-induced relaxation of vascular rings with or without endothelium. The action of PDBu on isoproterenol-induced
relaxation
was less effective than that fo PMA, unlike those observed in contractile response, but the contractile effect of the former was more potent than that of the latter. PMA did not affect relaxant effect of forskolin, an activator of adenyl cyclase.
Staurosporine, a protein kinase C inhioitor, inhibited the action of these drugs on both isoproterenol-induced relaxation and the contractile response.
These results suggest that the relaxation induced by isoproterenol was reduced by the activation of protein kinase C. which may be isozyme different from that involved in contractile response.
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