Abstract
We investigated the effects of superoxide anions (O2−) generated by xanthine (X) plus xanthine oxidase (XO) on isolated rabbit aorta suspended
in Krebs-Ringer solution. Xanthine plus xanthine oxidase produced concentration-dependent
contractions of rabbit aorta. Superoxide dismutase completely reversed the contractile
response observed. Superoxide anion-induced contraction of rabbit aorta was totally
abolished in preparations denuded of endothelium. The contractile effect was reduced
by 56% by the cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin. The contractile effect was not
affected by the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, captopril. These results
indicate that O2
− produces a contraction of the isolated rabbit aorta that is endothelium-dependent
and is partly mediated by an arachidonic acid metabolite.