Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Vasoactive effects of fibrinogen on saphenous vein

Nature volume 379, pages 818–820 (1996)Cite this article

Abstract

NORMAL plasma fibrinogen concentrations are critical to haemo-stasis. Higher fibrinogen concentrations are associated with increasing risk of atherosclerotic disease1 and with graft stenosis and occlusion after saphenous vein bypass surgery2,3. Vein graft stenosis is characterized by the localized proliferation of intimal smooth muscle cells, causing narrowing of the graft with increased risk of thrombotic occlusion. In rabbit arteries, fibrino-peptide B is reported to have both vasoconstrictor and mitogenic properties4,5. We report here that fibrinopeptides had no vaso-active effects on saphenous vein rings; however, fibrinogen (0–2 μM) affected an endothelium-dependent relaxation, followed by recontraction at higher concentrations. The fibrinogen-mediated relaxation was inhibited by K+-channel blockers and antibodies to ICAM-1. Coupled signalling pathways for the synthesis of vasoactive mediators and mitogens could underlie the association between fibrinogen and the development of vein graft pathology.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Levenson, J., Giral, P., Razavian, M., Gariepy, J. & Simon, A. Arterioscler. Thromb. vasc. Biol. 15, 1263–1268 (1995).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Hicks, R. C. et al. Eur. J. vasc. Surg. 9, 415–420 (1995).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Wiseman, S. et al. Br. Med. J. 299, 643–464 (1989).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Moore, P. K., Hussaini, I. & Bhardwaj, R. J. Pharm. Pharmac. 40, 558–561 (1988).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Singh, T. M., Kadowaki, M. H., Glagov, S. & Zarins, C. K. Am. J. Surg. 160, 156–159 (1990).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Waldman, S. A. & Murad, F. J. cardiovasc. Pharmac. 12 (suppl. 5), S115–S118 (1988).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Nagao, T. & Vanhoutte, P. M. Am. J. Respir. Cell. molec. Biol. 8, 1–6 (1993).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Dejana, E. et al. J. clin. Invest 75, 11–18 (1985).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Languino, L. R. et al. Cell 73, 1423–1434 (1993).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Nagel, T., Atkinson, W. A., Dewey, C. F. & Gimbrone, M. A. J. clin. Invest. 94, 885–891 (1994).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Higman, D. J., Greenhalgh, R. M. & Powell, I. T. Br. J. Surg. 80, 1242–1245 (1993).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cardiovascular & Pulmonary Research Division, Charing Cross & Westminster Medical School, London, W6 8RF, UK

    Robert C. J. Hicks, Jonathan Golledge, Rachid Mir-Hasseine & Janet T. Powell

Authors
  1. Robert C. J. Hicks
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jonathan Golledge
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Rachid Mir-Hasseine
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Janet T. Powell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hicks, R., Golledge, J., Mir-Hasseine, R. et al. Vasoactive effects of fibrinogen on saphenous vein. Nature 379, 818–820 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1038/379818a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/379818a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing