We examined the Ca
2+-buffering function of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) in the resting state of arteries from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) at a prehypertensive stage. Differences in the effects of cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) and thapsigargin, agents that inhibit SR Ca
2+-ATPase, and of ryanodine, which depletes SR Ca
2+, on tension and cellular Ca
2+ level were assessed in endothelium-denuded strips of femoral arteries from 4-week-old SHR and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). Addition of CPA, thapsigargin or ryanodine to the resting state of the strips caused an elevation of cytosolic Ca
2+ level and a contraction in both WKY and SHR. These responses were larger in SHR than in WKY. The contractions were inhibited strongly by 100 nM nifedipine or 3μM verapamil and were abolished by Ca
2+-free solution. Nifedipine, verapamil or Ca
2+-free solution itself caused a relaxation from the resting state of SHR strips, but not from that of WKY strips. The resting Ca
2+ influx in arteries measured by a 5-min incubation with
45Ca was significantly larger in SHR than in WKY. This influx was decreased by 10μM CPA or 10μM ryanodine in both WKY and SHR. These results suggest that in the resting state of the femoral artery from 4-week-old SHR, the greater part of the increased Ca
2+ influx via L-type Ca
2+ channels is buffered by Ca
2+ uptake into the SR, while some Ca
2+ reaches the myofilaments, resulting in the maintenance of resting tone. (Hypertens Res 2001; 24: 271-282)
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