Fundamental increase in pressure-dependent constriction of brain parenchymal arterioles from subarachnoid hemorrhage model rats due to membrane depolarization

Intracerebral (parenchymal) arterioles are morphologically and physiologically unique compared with pial arteries and arterioles. The ability of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) to induce vasospasm in large-diameter pial arteries has been extensively studied, although the contribution of this phenomenon to patient outcome is controversial. Currently, little is known regarding the impact of SAH on parenchymal arterioles, which are critical for regulation of local and global cerebral blood flow. Here diameter, smooth muscle intracellular Ca2++ concentration ([Ca2++]i), and membrane potential measurements were used to assess the function of intact brain parenchymal arterioles isolated from unoperated (control), sham-operated, and SAH model rats. At low intravascular pressure (5 mmHg), membrane potential and [Ca2++]i were not different in arterioles from control, sham-operated, and SAH animals. However, raising intravascular pressure caused significantly greater membrane potential depolarization, elevation in [Ca2++]i, and constriction in SAH arterioles. This SAH-induced increase in [Ca2++]i and tone occurred in the absence of the vascular endothelium and was abolished by the L-type voltage-dependent calcium channel (VDCC) inhibitor nimodipine. Arteriolar [Ca2++]i and tone were not different between groups when smooth muscle membrane potential was adjusted to the same value. Protein and mRNA levels of the L-type VDCC CaV1.2 were similar in parenchymal arterioles isolated from control and SAH animals, suggesting that SAH did not cause VDCC upregulation. We conclude that enhanced parenchymal arteriolar tone after SAH is driven by smooth muscle membrane potential depolarization, leading to increased L-type VDCC-mediated Ca2++ influx. © 2011 the American Physiological Society.