Relaxation of endothelin-1-induced pulmonary arterial constriction by niflumic acid and NPPB: mechanism(s) independent of chloride channel block.

We investigated the effects of the Cl- channel blockers niflumic acid, 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)-benzoic acid (NPPB) and 4, 4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulphonic acid (DIDS) on endothelin-1 (ET-1)-induced constriction of rat small pulmonary arteries (diameter 100-400 microm) in vitro, following endothelium removal. ET-1 (30 nM) induced a sustained constriction of rat pulmonary arteries in physiological salt solution. Arteries preconstricted with ET-1 were relaxed by niflumic acid (IC50: 35.8 microM) and NPPB (IC50: 21.1 microM) in a reversible and concentration-dependent manner. However, at concentrations known to block Ca++-activated Cl- channels, DIDS (</=500 microM) had no effect on the ET-1-induced constriction. Similar results were obtained when pulmonary arteries were preincubated with these Cl- channel blockers. When L-type Ca++ channels were blocked by nifedipine (10 microM), the ET-1-induced (30 nM) constriction was inhibited by only 5.8%. However, niflumic acid (30 microM) and NPPB (30 microM) inhibited the ET-1-induced constriction by approximately 53% and approximately 60%, respectively, both in the continued presence of nifedipine and in Ca++-free physiological salt solution. The Ca++ ionophore A23187 (10 microM) also evoked a sustained constriction of pulmonary arteries. Surprisingly, the A23187-induced constriction was also inhibited in a reversible and concentration-dependent manner by niflumic acid (IC50: 18.0 microM) and NPPB (IC50: 8.8 microM), but not by DIDS (</= 500 microM). Our data suggest that the primary mechanism by which niflumic acid and NPPB inhibit pulmonary artery constriction is independent of Cl- channel blockade. One possibility is that these compounds may block the Ca++-dependent contractile processes.