Diadenosine polyphosphates (ApnA) (n ϭ 3-6) induced vasoconstrictions in isolated human mesenteric resistance arteries (hMRAs) mounted in a microvessel myograph (rank order of potency: Ap5A Ͼ Ap6A Ͼ Ap4A Ͼ Ap3A). The contractile effects of ApnA in hMRA were similar to their effects in rat MRA investigated previously. ATP, ADP, AMP, and adenosine had less contractile potency than ApnA, suggesting that the observed effects were not induced by the degradation products of ApnA. Ap4A-and Ap5A-induced vasoconstriction was inhibited by pyridoxalphosphate-6-azophenyl-2Ј,4Ј-disulfonic acid (PPADS) (P2X purinoceptor antagonist) but not by ADP3Ј5Ј (P2Y purinoceptor antagonist). Thus, this purinergic vasoconstriction of hMRA seems to be P2X but not P2Y purinoceptormediated. In precontracted hMRA all ApnA caused vasorelaxations but (in contrast to rat MRA) the potencies of the ApnA did not differ significantly from each other. The ApnA degradation products had less vasorelaxing potency than ApnA, demonstrating that the vasorelaxations can be ascribed to the ApnA themselves. Ap5A-induced vasorelaxation of hMRA could neither be inhibited with ADP3Ј5Ј nor with PPADS, which reveals a decisive difference to the rat MRA where the inhibitory profile demonstrated the importance of the P2Y purinoceptor for Ap5A-induced vasorelaxation. However, Ap4A-induced vasorelaxation in hMRA could be inhibited by ADP3Ј5Ј. These findings show that Ap4A-induced vasorelaxation in hMRA is due to P2Y purinoceptor activation, that Ap5A evokes vasorelaxation in hMRA via another mechanism than Ap4A, and that data derived from the animal model cannot be simply transferred to human conditions.

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