Rho kinase activation and ROS production contributes to the cooling enhanced contraction in cutaneous equine digital veins

Abstract

A decrease in environmental temperature can directly affect the contractility ot cutaneous vasculature, mediated in part by a 2-adrenoceptors. Most of the cellular mechanisms underlying the cooling-enhanced contractility to ct2-adrenoceptor agonists have been reported in cutaneous arteries but little information is available on cutaneous veins. To investigate the cellular mechanisms associated with the cooling-enhanced contraction to UK-14304 (α2-adrenoceptor agonist), isolated equine digital veins (EDVs) were studied at 30°C and 22°C. The effects of inhibitors were studied on the contractile response to UK-14304 (0.1 μM). The cooling-enhanced responses were inhibited by Rho kinase inhibitor..