Glibenclamide Inhibits Thromboxane A2-induced Contraction in Human Internal Mammary Artery and Saphenous Vein

Glibenclamide, like other hypoglycemic sulfonylurea derivatives, is a potent blocker of ATP-regulated K+ channels. In addition, it is reported to inhibit prostanoid-induced contractions of isolated vascular smooth muscle from different animal species. We investigated the effect of glibenclamide on the thromboxane A2-mimetic U-46619 (9,11-dideoxy-9alpha,11alpha-methanoepoxy-prostaglandin F2alpha)-induced contractions in human isolated internal mammary arteries and saphenous veins. In the two vascular preparations, glibenclamide (3, 10 and 30 microM) caused a concentration-dependent shift to the right of the U-46619 contraction-response curve with a reduction, at the highest concentrations, in the maximal responses. This inhibitory effect appears selective for thromboxane A2-induced contractions since glibenclamide (30 microM) did not alter the contraction of internal mammary arteries in response to norepinephrine and of saphenous veins in response to 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and endothelin-1. However, glibenclamide reduced the endothelin-1-induced contraction in internal mammary arteries. The endothelin-1-induced contractions were similarly inhibited by GR 32191 ([1R-[1alpha(Z),2beta,3beta,5alpha]]-(+)-7-[5-([1,1'-b iphenyl]-4-ylmethoxy)-3-hydroxy-2-(1-piperidinyl)cyclopentyl]-4-++ +heptonoic acid, a thromboxane A2 receptor antagonist. These results suggest that glibenclamide also reduced the endothelin-1-induced contractions by inhibiting a thromboxane A2 receptor-mediated component of the contraction elicited by this peptide. In conclusion, glibenclamide clearly appears to exert a specific inhibitory influence on prostanoid-induced contractions in human internal mammary arteries and saphenous veins.