Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25853881›Full record

ArticlePloS one2015

Relaxation effect of abacavir on rat basilar arteries.

Rachel Wai Sum Li, Cui Yang, Shun Wan Chan, Maggie Pui Man Hoi, Simon Ming Yuen Lee, Yiu Wa Kwan, George Pak Heng Leung

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
1.2field-weighted citation impact, top 19% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 7 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 5 institutions in 3 countries.

Rachel Wai Sum LiDepartment of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Cui YangKey Laboratory of Ethnic Medicine Resource Chemistry (Yunnan University of Nationalities), State Ethnic Affairs Commission & Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry & Biotechnology, Yunnan University of Nationalities, Kunming, China.
Shun Wan ChanState Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine and Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
Maggie Pui Man HoiInstitute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China.
Simon Ming Yuen LeeInstitute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China.
Yiu Wa KwanSchool of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
George Pak Heng LeungDepartment of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
University of Hong Kong · HKUniversity of Macau · MOChinese University of Hong Kong · CNHong Kong Polytechnic University · HKState Ethnic Affairs Commission · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe use of abacavir has been linked with increased cardiovascular risk in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection; however, the mechanism involved remains unclear. We hypothesize that abacavir may impair endothelial function. In addition, based on the structural similarity between abacavir and adenosine, we propose that abacavir may affect vascular contractility through endogenous adenosine release or adenosine receptors in blood vessels.

methodsThe relaxation effect of abacavir on rat basilar arteries was studied using the myograph technique. Cyclic GMP and AMP levels were measured by immunoassay. The effects of abacavir on nucleoside transporters were studied using radiolabeled nucleoside uptake experiments. Ecto-5' nucleotidase activity was determined by measuring the generation of inorganic phosphate using adenosine monophosphate as the substrate.

resultsAbacavir induced the relaxation of rat basilar arteries in a concentration-dependent manner. This relaxation was abolished when endothelium was removed. In addition, the relaxation was diminished by the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, L-NAME, the guanylyl cyclase inhibitor, ODQ, and the protein kinase G inhibitor, KT5820. Abacavir also increased the cGMP level in rat basilar arteries. Abacavir-induced relaxation was also abolished by adenosine A2 receptor blockers. However, abacavir had no effect on ecto-5' nucleotidase and nucleoside transporters. Short-term and long-term treatment of abacavir did not affect acetylcholine-induced relaxation in rat basilar arteries.

conclusionAbacavir induces acute endothelium-dependent relaxation of rat basilar arteries, probably through the activation of adenosine A2 receptors in endothelial cells, which subsequently leads to the release of nitric oxide, resulting in activation of the cyclic guanosine monophosphate/protein kinase G-dependent pathway in vascular smooth muscle cells. It is speculated that abacavir-induced cardiovascular risk may not be related to endothelial dysfunction as abacavir does not impair relaxation of blood vessels. The most likely explanation of increased cardiovascular risk may be increased platelet aggregation as suggested by other studies.

Indexed as

AbacavirAdenosine TriphosphateAnimalsBasilar ArteryCardiovascular DiseasesCyclic GMPDideoxynucleosidesHumansMuscle ContractionMuscle RelaxationMuscle, Smooth, VascularMyographyRatsRisk FactorsVasodilator AgentsAbacavirAdenosine TriphosphateCyclic GMPDideoxynucleosidesVasodilator Agents

Identifiers

PMID25853881
PMCPMC4390379
OpenAlexW2037063791

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.