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The plasticity of endothelin ETBreceptor activity and the influence of pro-inflammatory cytokines was examined in cerebral artery. In fresh rat basilar artery, the selective ETBreceptor agonist, sarafotoxin S6c, induced negligible contractions. However, after 1 day of organ culture, fully defined concentration–response curves were obtained in artery segments exposed to sarafotox-in S6c. Organ culture in the presence of either interleukin-1α or tumour necrosis factor-α, but not interleukin-2 or interleukin-6, further amplified the maximal contraction to sarafotoxin S6c. The plasticity of ETBrecpetor expression in cerebral arteries and sensitivity for pro-inflammatory cytokines, suggest a role in inflammatory cerebral diseases such as stroke.