The primary purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that short-term exercise training enhances endothelium-dependent relaxation of porcine femoral and brachial arteries. Miniature swine ran on a treadmill for 1 h at 3.5 miles/h, twice daily, for 7 consecutive days (Trn; n = 8). Compared with sedentary controls (Sed; n = 7), Trn swine exhibited increased skeletal muscle citrate synthase activity (P < 0.05). Vascular rings approximately 3 mm in axial length were prepared from segments of femoral and brachial arteries, and responses to vasoactive agents were determined in vitro. Sensitivity to bradykinin (BK) was enhanced in brachial vascular rings from Trn swine compared with those from Sed swine, as indicated by lower concentration of vasorelaxing agent eliciting 50% of maximal response values [Sed, 8.63 +/- 0.09 (-log M); Trn, 9.07 +/- 0.13; P < 0.05]. This difference between groups was preserved in brachial rings in which formation of nitric oxide and vasodilator prostaglandins were inhibited [Sed, 8.57 +/- 0.17 (-log M); Trn, 8.97 +/- 0.13; P < 0.05]. Sensitivity to BK was not different between Sed and Trn in femoral arterial rings. Relaxation responses to the calcium ionophore A-23187 and sodium nitroprusside were not altered with training. Femoral and brachial arterial rings from Trn swine, compared with those from Sed swine, exhibited augmented vasocontraction across a range of concentrations and increased sensitivity to norepinephrine (all P < 0.05). These findings indicate that responses of porcine femoral and brachial arteries change in response to short-term training. Together with findings from previous studies involving longer term training, our data suggest that vascular adaptations may differ at different time points during long-term endurance exercise training.