Effects of nitrovasodilators on the human fetal-placental circulation in vitro

Abstract

This study examines the vasorelaxation of isolated human placental chorionic plate arteries and the perfused fetal-placental vasculature, in vitro, to a variety of nitrovasodilator compounds including glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) sodium nitroprusside (SNP), S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP), S-nitroso-N-glutathione (SNG) and NaNO2. The effects of these compounds were also examined under conditions of high (>450 mmHg) and low oxygen (<50 mmHg) tension. In a separate series of experiments the effects of GTN and NaNO2 were further investigated with addition of the antioxidants cysteine (100 μM), glutathione (100 μM) or superoxide dismutase (SOD) (30 I.U./ml). The order of nitrovasodilator pot..