This study was designed to observe hypoxia-induced mechanical responses of porcine cerebral artery and to clarify their possible mechanisms. Hypoxia produced a transient vasoconstriction, recovering to the basal tension within 10 min and subsequent reoxygenation produced a biphasic (relaxalion-contraction) response in rings with endothelium under resting tension. Hypoxia produced a further contraction in rings precontracted with KCl or PGE_2α, and following reoxygenation caused only sustained relaxation. Removal of the endothelium and pretreatment with nimodipine or indomethacin markedly attenuated the hypoxia- and reoxygenation-induced contractions. The KCl-induced contraction was not affected in hypoxic state, but contractions induced by PGE_2α or endothelin (ET) were inhibited in the hypoxia, the latter being more sensitive to the hypoxia. Upon reoxygenation, the attenuated contraction rapidly recovered to the original tension. Both hypoxia and reoxygenation significantly increased cyclic GMP content in the intact preparations, but not in the endothelium-removed ones. Acetylcholine (ACh) produced concentration-dependent relaxations in the intact endothelial rings precontracted with PGE_2α or endothelin, and the ACh-induced relaxation was inhibited by removal of endothelium and by hypoxia. ACh also increased cyclic GMP content in tissues pretreated with PGE_2α and the increase of cyclic GMP was abolished in hypoxic state. These results suggest that hypoxia- and reoxygenation-induced contractions are dependent on endothelium and extracellular calcium, and related to the release of prostaglandin-like substance(s).