Effect of Hemoglobin on Neurogenic Responses and Cholinergic Parameters in Porcine Cerebral Arteries

Electrically stimulated neurogenic vasodilation and endothelial-dependent cholinergic vasodilation in cerebral arteries are both blocked by hemoglobin. To determine if neurogenic vasodilation has a cholinergic component, we examined the effect of hemoglobin on neurogenic responses and perivascular cholinergic parameters in isolated porcine cerebral arteries. The perfused circle of Willis has a mixed response to transmural nerve stimulation (TNS) that is predominantly vasodilation. Exposure to hemoglobin (5 microM) causes constriction of this preparation while simultaneously blocking TNS-induced vasodilation. At similar concentrations, however, hemoglobin did not alter electrically stimulated, tetrodotoxin-sensitive release of acetylcholine. Hemoglobin also had no effect on neuronal choline uptake or esteratic inactivation of acetylcholine. These results demonstrate the ability of low concentrations of hemoglobin to alter cerebral neurogenic vasodilation. The failure of hemoglobin to affect any aspect of cholinergic transmission, however, provides further evidence against a direct vasodilatory role for acetylcholine as a terminal transmitter in isolated cerebral blood vessels.