The Endothelins

1 The Discovery and General Properties of the Endothelins.- - The Endothelins.- - The Discovery of the Endothelins.- - General Properties of Endothelin-1.- - Summary.- 2 The Chemistry of the Endothelins.- - Endothelin-1 (or Porcine Endothelin, or ET-1).- - Endothelin-2 (ET-2).- - Endothelin-3 (Rat Endothelin, or ET-3).- - VIC [(Mouse) ? Endothelin].- - Nomenclature.- - Endothelin-1.- - Endothelin-2.- - Endothelin-3.- -VIC [(Mouse) ? Endothelin].- - Molecular Manipulations Which Modify the Contractile Activity of Endothelin-1.- - The Relative Vasoconstrictor Activities of the Various Endothelins.- - Summary.- 3 The Biosynthesis of the Endothelins.- - The Biosynthesis of the Endothelins.- - Endothelin-1 (Porcine and Human).- - Porcine Endothelin-1.- - Human Endothelin-1.- - Endothelin-2 and Endothelin-3.- - Vasoactive Intestinal Contractor Endothelin (VIC).- - The Biological Significance of the Conversion of the “Big” Endothelins to “Mature” Endothelins.- - Summary.- 4 Other Chemically-Related Toxins.- - The Sarafotoxins.- - Apamin.- - Atrotoxin.- - Summary.- 5 The Contractile Effect of Endothelin-1.- - Endothelin-1: Evidence of its Contractile Effect on Smooth Muscle.- - Characterization of Endothelin-1 Induced Contraction of Vascular and Non Vascular Smooth Muscle.- - The Positive Inotropic Effect of Endothelin-1 on Cardiac Muscle.- - Does Endothelin-1 Exert a Positive Chronotropic Effect on the Heart?.- - Summary.- 6 The Biochemical Events Involved in the Contractile and Positive Inotropic Activity of Endothelin-1.- - Endothelin - and Vascular Smooth Muscle.- - Enhanced Slow Channel Ca2+ Entry.- - Endothelin-1 Induced Increase in Cytosolic Ca2+ in Cardiac Myocytes.- - Summary.- 7 Endothelin Receptors: Their Distribution and Properties.- - Tissue Distribution of the Endothelin Binding Sites.- - Characterization of Endothelin Binding Sites.- - Evidence of Multiple Endothelin Receptors.- - The Biochemical Analysis of the Endothelin Receptors.- - Are the Endothelin Binding Sites Functional?.- - “Up” and “Down” Regulation of the Endothelin Receptors.- - The Density of Endothelin-1 Binding Sites in Various Tissues.- - Summary.- 8 Metabolism and Clearance of the Endothelins.- - Time Course of Endothelin-1 Removal.- - Comparison With Other Vasoactive Polypeptides.- - Mechanisms Involved in the Removal of Endothelin-1.- - Dissociation between the Disappearance of Endothelin-1 From the Bloodstream and It’s Constrictor Effect.- - Summary.- 9 Plasma, Tissue and Urine Endothelin-1.- - Tissue Levels of Endothelin-1.- - Sites of Endothelin Synthesis.- - Factors Which Stimulate the Expression of Preproendothelin mRNA.- - Conditions which Stimulate Endothelin Secretion.- - Clearance of Endothelin from the Circulation.- - Summary.- 10 Effect of Various Pathological Conditions on Plasma Endothelin.- - Plasma Levels of Immunoreactive Endothelin-1 in Various Pathological Conditions.- - Experimental Conditions Which Provoke Raised Plasma Levels of Endothelin-1.- - Cold Provocation.- - Other Changes.- - Summary.- 11 Endothelin and the Kidney.- - The Hypersensitivy of Renal Arteries to Endothelin-1.- - The Heterogeneity of the Renal Vascular Effects of Endothelin-1.- - The Distribution and Properties of Endothelin-1 Receptors in the Kidney.- - Endothelin-1 Binding Sites in Renal Glomerular Mesangial Cells.- - Effect of Endothelin-1 on Renal Tubular Epithelial Function.- - The in Situ Production of Endothelin in the Kidney: Is It a Local Hormone?.- - Endothelin-1 and Renal Failure: Is There a Link?.- - Summary.- 12 Endothelin and the Brain.- - Evidence of a Direct Central Effect of Endothelin (Endothelin-1).- - Evidence of the Local Production of Endothelins in the Brain.- - Endothelin-1 and Endothelin-3 Distribution in the Brain.- - The Occurence and Distribution of Specific High Affinity Binding Sites for Endothelin (Endothelin-1) in the Brain.- - What is the Functional Significance of Endothelin Binding in the Brain?.- - Mode of Action.- - Endothelin-1 and the Cerebral Arteries.- - Summary.- 13 Endothelin and the Coronary Circulation.- - The Coronary Constrictor Effect of Endothelin-1.- - The Biochemical Basis of the Coronary Constrictor Effect of Endothelin-1.- - Endothelin-1 Receptors in the Coronary Vasculature.- - The Relative Sensitivity of Coronary Arteries and Veins to the Constrictor Effect of Endothelin-1.- - The Transient Endothelin-1 Coronary Vasodilation.- - The Effect of Endothelin-1 Induced Coronary Vasoconstriction on Myocardial Function.- - Is Endothelin-1 Involved in the Development of Coronary Vasospasm?.- - Summary.- 14 Endothelin-1 and the Heart.- - The Characteristics of the Endothelin-1 induced Positive Inotropic Response.- - The Mechanisms Involved in the Positive Inotropic Effect of Endothelin-1.- - The Positive Chronotropic Effect of Endothelin-1.- - Endothelin-1 and the Release of Atrionatriuretic Peptide (ANP).- - Endothelin and the Ischaemic Heart.- - Summary.- 15 Endothelin, Cell Proliferation and Atherosclerosis.- - Endothelin-1 and the Atherosclerotic Process.- - The Mitogenic Effect of Endothelin-1 on Rat Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells.- - Effect of Growth Factors on the Endothelin-1 Induced Increase in [3H]thymidine Uptake.- - Factors Which Exacerbate the Effect of Endothelin-1 on Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation.- - The Ability of Calcium Antagonists to Attenuate Endothelin-1 Induced Cell Proliferation.- - Summary.- 16 The Constrictor Effect of the Endothelins on Bronchiolar and Tracheal Smooth Muscle.- - The Relative Sensitivity of Bronchiolar and Tracheal Smooth Muscle to the Constrictor Effect of the Endothelins.- - The Local Production of Endothelin-1 and Endothelin-3.- - Mode of Action.- - The Role of the Endothelins in Respiratory Disorders.- - Summary.- 17 Endothelin and Hypertension.- - Plasma Endothelin-1 in Hypertensives.- - Endothelin-1 Binding Site Density in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats.- - Is a Central Effect of the Endothelins Involved in Hypertension.- - Is There a Vasodilator-Vasoconstrictor Imbalance?.- - Is the Vasoconstrictor Effect of Endothelin Due to its Effect on Large Capacitance or Small Resistance Vessels?.- - Mode of Action.- - Agents Which Overcome the Vasoconstrictor Effect of Endothelin-1.- - Endothelin-1, Hypertension and the Renal Vasculature.- - Summary.- 18 The Endothelins and Platelet Aggregation.- - The Inhibitory Effect of Endothelin-1 on Platelet Aggregation.- - The Fibrinolytic Activity of Endothelin-3.- - Summary.- 19 Do the Endothelins have a Future?.- References.