Endothelin is tightly involved in the regulation of vascular and renal function in health and in disease. In a variety of animal models of kidney disease, endothelin promotes renal injury through effects on inflammation and fibrosis. Furthermore, experimental data strongly suggest that blocking the actions of endothelin should be beneficial in patients with chronic kidney disease. However, desp...

The endothelin system is a potent endothelial system that controls vascular tone and regulates regional blood flow [1]. Today, three isoforms of the endothelin peptide have been described (endothelin-1, -2 and -3) but most biological effects of endothelin are mediated by the 21 amino acid endothelin-1. In addition to its vascular properties, endothelin influences cell proliferationand extracell...

PURPOSE To study the distribution of the endothelins in the eye using ocular tissues of human, rat, and porcine origin. METHODS Extracts of ocular tissues were examined for immunoreactivity to endothelin 1 and 3 and pro-endothelin 1 using radioimmunoassay. Characterization of immunoreactivity was verified using high-performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS Immunoreactivity to endothelin 1...

BACKGROUND Hirschsprung's disease is associated with defects in the endothelin-3 and endothelin B receptor genes. AIM To assess the in vivo vasomotor responses to endothelin B receptor stimulation in patients with Hirschsprung's disease. METHODS Forearm blood flow was measured using venous occlusion plethysmography in 10 patients with Hirschsprung's disease and 10 matched healthy controls d...

purpose: to investigate the levels of klotho and endothelin-1(et-1) in plasma and aqueous humor in patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome (pes). methods: fifteen individuals with pes and 15 age-matched subjects without pes who were scheduled for cataract extraction participated in the study. samples of aqueous humor and peripheral blood were taken in the operating room just before cataract su...

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is an important mediator of vascular tone in humans, and a number of endothelin receptor antagonists are currently in clinical development as vasodilator agents. While the vasoconstrictor role of the ETA receptor is undisputed, the role of the ETB receptor remains unclear. Hemodynamic effects of systemic doses of the ETB-selective antagonist BQ-788 were investigated in 5 hea...

We investigated the possible role of endothelin in the increased vasoconstrictor tone of hypertensive patients using antagonists of endothelin receptors. Forearm blood flow (FBF) responses (strain-gauge plethysmography) to intraarterial infusion of blockers of endothelin-A (ETA) (BQ-123) and endothelin-B (ETB) (BQ-788) receptors, separately and in combination, were measured in hypertensive pati...

Binding and functional studies were conducted to elucidate the receptor subtypes mediating contractions of human bronchus induced by endothelin (ET) receptor ligands. Binding experiments in human bronchial smooth muscle membrane preparations revealed the presence of ETA and ETB receptors in the ratio of approximately 40:60. In the presence of the combination of 1 microM BQ-123 (ETA receptor ant...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Endothelins are a recently discovered group of most powerful vasoconstrictor peptides. Endothelin-1 is produced by endothelial cells, and endothelin-3 is derived from neuronal tissue. Theoretically, endothelin-mediated vasoconstriction may enhance ischemic neuronal damage. This study aimed to measure plasma levels of both endothelins in patients with acute nonhemorrhagic ...

Endothelin is a potent vasoconstrictive peptide initially characterized as a product of endothelial cells. To examine the potential role of endothelin as a neuropeptide, we studied its distribution in the human central nervous system. RNA blot hybridization provided evidence of endothelin gene transcription in a variety of functional regions of the brain. In situ hybridization confirmed the wid...