Role of endothelium in the mechanical response of the carotid arterial wall to calcium blockade in spontaneously hypertensive and Wistar-Kyoto rats.

Objectives: Calcium blockade has been reported to inhibit the contraction of the vascular smooth muscle and the liberation of vasoactive substances by endothelial cells. We tested the effects of calcium blockade on the mechanical properties of the carotid artery in normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) in the presence and in the absence of endothelium.

Methods: The pressure-volume relationships of isolated carotid arteries were recorded in situ in SHR (n = 20) and WKY rats (n = 20) before and after calcium blockade by local incubation with clentiazem.

Biologic response (antiviral) to recombinant human interferon alpha 2a as a function of dose and route of administration in healthy volunteers.

The kinetics of the antiviral effect of intramuscular and intravenous injections of recombinant human interferon alpha 2a were investigated in healthy volunteers. Cohorts of eight to 11 subjects received single intramuscular injections of either 0.3 X 10(6), 3 X 10(6), or 18 X 10(6) U or an intravenous infusion of 18 X 10(6) U over 30 minutes.

Time course of interferon levels, antiviral state, 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase and side effects in healthy men.

The kinetics of the biologic response following a single intramuscular injection of 18 X 10(6) units of recombinant human interferon-alpha 2a (rHuIFN-alpha 2a) was investigated during 11 courses in 10 healthy individuals. Serial peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBM) samples were assayed for their biologic responsiveness to rHuIFN-alpha 2a by measuring both their 2',5'-oligoadenylate (2-5A) synthetase activity and their resistance to in vitro vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) infection. A significant increase in 2-5A synthetase levels occurred at 6 h, and enzyme levels returned to baseline values between 96 and 104 h postinjection.