Relaxation by urocortin of human saphenous veins

Urocortin, an endogenous peptide structurally related to corticotropin‐releasing factor (CRF), has potent cardiovascular effects, suggesting that it may be of significance in cardiovascular regulation. The objective of this study was to analyse the effects of urocortin and its action mechanisms on human blood vessels. To this, 3 mm long segments from human saphenous veins were prepared for isometric tension recording in an organ bath. In the segments at basal resting tone, urocortin did not produce any effect, but in the segments precontracted with endothelin‐1 (1 – 10 n M ), urocortin (1 p M  – 10 n M ) produced concentration‐dependent relaxation. This relaxation was not modified by the inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase N G ‐nitro‐ L ‐arginine methyl ester ( L ‐NAME, 100 μ M ), but it was potentiated by the cyclo‐oxygenase inhibitor meclofenamate (10 μ M ) and it was reduced by the inhibitors of high‐conductance Ca 2+ ‐dependent potassium channels tetraethylammonium (TEA, 10 m M ) and charybdotoxin (100 n M ). These results indicate that human saphenous veins are very sensitive to urocortin, which produces vascular relaxation by a mechanism independent of nitric oxide and dependent of high‐conductance Ca 2+ ‐dependent potassium channels, and that it may be opposed by the release of vasoconstrictor prostanoids. Therefore, urocortin may be of significance for regulation of the venous circulation in humans.British Journal of Pharmacology (2002) 136 , 90–94; doi: 10.1038/sj.bjp.0704670