Vasoconstrictor responses of rat tail artery to sympathetic nerve stimulation contain a component due to activation of postjunctional beta- or alpha 2-adrenoceptors

Rilmenidine reveals differences in the pharmacological characteristics of prejunctional alpha2-adrenoceptors in the guinea-pig, rat and pig

1. The alpha2A and alpha2D-adrenoceptor subtypes are thought to be species homologs most easily differentiated on the basis of the potency of antagonists. In the present study we have compared the effect of rilmenidine with two other selective alpha2-adrenoceptor agonists, UK-14304 (5-bromo-6- [2-imidazolin-2-ylamino]-quinoxaline) and clonidine, against electrically-evoked contractions in five isolated preparations from the rat, guinea-pig and pig, and, where possible, determined the receptor subtype involved. 2. UK-14034, clonidine and rilmenidine produced concentration-dependent inhibition of the electrically-evoked contractions of the rat isolated vas deferens and tail artery and the guinea-pig ileum. These inhibitory effects were reversed by the selective alpha2-adrenoceptor antagonist, RX-811058 (1 microM), except in the rat tail artery preparations where the remaining neurogenic response was inhibited; evidence for the involvement of 'innervated' alpha2-adrenoceptors. Both clonidine and UK-14304 produced concentration-dependent inhibition of responses in the porcine isolated tail artery and urinary bladder but clonidine was markedly less efficacious in these preparations. In contrast, rilmenidine failed to inhibit the neurogenic contractions in either preparation. 3. Although rilmenidine failed to elicit a detectable response in either the porcine isolated tail artery or urinary bladder, it (10 microM and 30 microM, respectively) competitively antagonised the inhibitory effects of UK-14304 with an estimated dissociation constant of (pK(B)) 5.82 and 5.93, respectively. 4. Prazosin (1 microM) failed to alter the effect of UK-14304 against neurogenic contractions in the porcine isolated urinary bladder, while rauwolscine (pK(B) 8.87) was 10 fold more potent than phentolamine (pK(B) 7.56). On the other hand, phentolamine (pK(B) 8.42) was only marginally more potent than rauwolscine (pK 8.05) against clonidine-induced inhibition of electrically-evoked contractions of the guinea-pig isolated ileum. This pharmacological evidence with antagonists supports the presence of alpha2D-adrenoceptors in the rat and guinea-pig and the alpha2A-adrenoceptors in the pig. 5. We have demonstrated that rilmenidine, unlike clonidine and UK-14304, is devoid of any agonist activity at prejunctional alpha2A-adrenoceptors in the pig, but is an efficacious agonist at alpha2D-adrenoceptors in the rat and guinea-pig.

Reduced sympathetic noradrenergic neurotransmission in the tail artery of Donryu rats fed with high cholesterol-supplemented diet

1. Sympathetic neurotransmission and noradrenaline content of the tail artery of Donryu rats fed for 2 months with a cholesterol-supplemented diet enriched with 4% cholesterol, 1% cholic acid, 0.5% thiouracil (CCT), were examined. 2. Total serum cholesterol level of CCT fed rats (7.05 +/- 1.77 mg ml(-1), n = 8) was significantly greater than lab-chow fed controls (2.58 +/- 0.32 mg ml(-1), n = 8). Low density lipoprotein level was also significantly increased in CCT-fed (1.79 +/- 0.26 mg ml(-1), n = 8) compared with control fed rats (1.35 +/- 0.25 mg ml(-1), n = 8) but plasma levels of triglyceride and high density lipoproteins did not differ significantly between the two groups. 3. Contractile responses of the arterial rings to transmural nerve stimulation (65 V, 0.1 ms, 4-64 Hz, 1 s), were markedly attenuated in the CCT fed animals compared with the controls. This reduction involved the noradrenergic rather than purinergic component of sympathetic transmission. 4. Vasoconstrictor responses to exogenous noradrenaline (0.01-300 microM) and adenosine 5'-triphosphate (0.3-1000 microM) were unaffected by CCT diet, indicating prejunctional alteration of sympathetic neurotransmission during CCT-induced hyperlipidaemia. 5. The noradrenaline content of the tail arteries of CCT fed animals (2.64 +/- 0.36 ng mg(-1), n = 6) was significantly lower than that of controls (3.82 +/- 0.32 ng mg(-1), n = 6). 6. These findings show that chronic treatment of Donryu rats with a cholesterol-supplemented diet led to altered levels of circulating lipid fractions accompanied by attenuated sympathetic noradrenergic neurotransmission and reduced noradrenaline content of the rat tail artery.

Noradrenergic transmission in the tail artery of hypertensive rats transgenic for the mouse renin gene Ren-2

1. The aim of the present study was to analyse the noradrenergic transmission in the tail artery of hypertensive rats transgenic for the mouse renin gene Ren-2 (TGR) in comparison with its control, the Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat. 2. Electrical field stimulation (EFS) of vascular segments produced frequency-dependent vasoconstrictions that were significantly greater in TGR arteries. 3. These contractions were abolished by tetrodotoxin (0.1 microM). Phentolamine (50 nM) and prazosin (1 - 10 nM) produced an inhibition of these responses that was significantly greater in SD arteries, whereas that produced by yohimbine (0.5-1 microM) was higher in TGR arteries. In both strains, propranolol (1 microM) potentiated the responses to EFS, and this increase was observed at lower frequencies in TGR arteries. 4. The EFS-evoked [3H]-noradrenaline (NA) release was significantly greater in TGR than in SD rats. However, NA (10 nM-10 microM) reduced and yohimbine and phentolamine (10 nM-10 microM) increased the tritium outflow to a similar degree in both strains. 5. Exogenous NA also induced greater vasoconstriction in TGR arteries. 6. These results suggest the existence in TGR tail artery of an increase in: (a) NA-release and alpha 2-adrenoceptor-mediated contractions, which could contribute to the elevated blood pressure in these rats; and (b) beta-adrenoceptor-mediated vasodilatations, which may be a mechanism to counteract high blood pressure.

Effects of cyclic AMP and analogues on neurogenic transmission in the rat tail artery

1 The effects of two 8-substituted analogues of adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic AMP) were compared with those of forskolin and isoprenaline on [3H]-noradrenaline release and vasoconstriction induced by electrical field stimulation (24 pulses at 0.4 Hz, 200 mA, 0.3 ms duration) in the rat tail artery, in the absence and in the presence of protein kinase inhibitors. 2 8-Bromo-adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (8-bromo-cyclic AMP, 10-300 microM), 8-(4-chlorophenyl-thio)-adenosine 3':5' cyclic monophosphate (8-pCPT-cyclic AMP, 3-300 microM), forskolin (0.3-10 microM) and isoprenaline (1 nM-1 microM) all concentration-dependently enhanced stimulation-induced [3H]-noradrenaline release. The effect of cyclic AMP analogues was larger (2.5 fold at 300 microM) than those of cyclic AMP elevating drugs (1.6 fold at 10 microM for forskolin and 1.5 fold at 30 nM for isoprenaline). 3 At concentrations active at the prejunctional level, the four drugs had differential effects on stimulation-induced vasoconstriction, which was enhanced by the two cyclic AMP analogues, decreased by forskolin and not significantly altered by isoprenaline. 4 The [3H]-noradrenaline release-enhancing effects of 8-bromo-cyclic AMP, forskolin and isoprenaline were significantly decreased by the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) inhibitor (N-[2-((3-(4-bromophenyl)-2-propenyl)-amino)-ethyl]-5- isoquinolinesulphonamide, di-hydrochloride) (H-89; 100 nM). By contrast they were unaffected by the cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) inhibitor, 8-bromo-guanosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphorothioate, Rp-isomer (Rp-8-bromo-cyclic GMPS; 10 microM). By contrast they were unaffected by the cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) inhibitor,8-bromo-guanosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphorothioate, Rp-isomer (Rp-8-bromo-cyclic GMPS; 10 MicroM).At the same concentrations the PKA inhibitor attenuated only the nerve-induced vasoconstrictor responses obtained in the presence of 8-bromo-cyclic AMP, whereas the PKG inhibitor did not modify that obtained in the presence of 8-bromo-cycic AMP or forskolin.5. Exposure to the protein kinase C (PKC) activator, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (1 MicroM) enhanced nerve-evoked [3H]-noradrenaline release, and this effect was decreased by the PKC inhibitor, 2-[1-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-indol-3-yl]-3-(-indol-3-yl)-maleimide (GF 109203X; 100 nM). However, the latter drug did not modify the enhancing effect of 8-bromo-cyclic AMP on [3H]-noradrenaline release.6. It is concluded that activation of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase is involved in the enhancing effect of cyclic AMP-elevating compounds on prejunctional release of noradrenaline. In addition the results provide no clear-cut evidence for a vasodilator role of PKA.

Differential activation of adrenoceptor subtypes by noradrenaline applied from the intimal or adventitial surfaces of rat isolated tail artery

1. The vasoconstrictor effects of noradrenaline applied to the intimal and adventitial surfaces of perfused segments of rat tail artery in the presence and absence of endothelium were studied. 2. Noradrenaline was about six times more potent as a vasoconstrictor when applied to the intimal than to the adventitial surface. Cocaine (25 mumol/L) enhanced responses to adventitial noradrenaline to a greater extent than those to intimal noradrenaline. A high concentration of propranolol (1 mumol/L) had a similar effect. 3. The vasoconstriction elicited by adventitial noradrenaline declined from a peak whereas that to intimal noradrenaline remained steady. A low concentration of propranolol (0.1 mumol/L) abolished the decline in the response to adventitial noradrenaline. 4. The alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonists prazosin (1 nmol/L) and idazoxan (100 nmol/L) significantly reduced responses to intimal and adventitial noradrenaline in the presence or absence of endothelium. 5. Removal of endothelium enhanced responses to intimal but not adventitial noradrenaline. Idazoxan produced a significantly greater reduction of responses to noradrenaline in the absence than in the presence of endothelium, and was more effective against intimal than adventitial noradrenaline. Similar effects were produced by the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor L-NAME (30 mumol/L). 6. It was concluded that noradrenaline acts on both alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptors to produce vasoconstriction: the alpha 1-adrenoceptors appear to be uniformly distributed, whereas alpha 2-adrenoceptors are located nearer the intima. Intimal noradrenaline also acts on endothelial alpha 2-adrenoceptors to release EDRF which counteracts the vasoconstrictor action of noradrenaline.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Alpha- and beta-adrenoceptor agonist activity in the venom of the Australian huntsman spiders, Delena cancerides and Isopeda montana

1. Crude venom gland extracts (VGE) were prepared from female Delena cancerides and Isopeda montana spiders. The VGE were tested in isolated rat atrial, caudal artery and pithed rat preparations for pharmacological activity. 2. In rat isolated atrial preparations, D. cancerides and I. montana VGE, each in a concentration of 2 glands/mL, produced increases in atrial rate which were abolished by propranolol (1 mumol/L) but not by ketanserin (0.1 mumol/L) or reserpine pretreatment (2.5 mg/kg s.c. 24 h prior to experimentation) indicating a direct action on atrial beta-adrenoceptors. 3. In rat caudal artery preparations each VGE produced an increase in perfusion pressure, which was taken as an index of vasoconstriction. Pressor responses to D. cancerides VGE (1 gland/mL) were abolished in the presence of prazosin (1 mol/L) but not by reserpine pretreatment, indicating an action of the VGE on vascular alpha 1-adrenoceptors. Neither prazosin nor reserpine pretreatment had any effect on pressor responses of rat caudal artery preparations to I. montana VGE. Ketanserin (6 nmol/L) produced a small reduction in the degree of vasoconstriction produced by the VGE. This demonstrates a lack of alpha 1-adrenoceptor agonist activity of the VGE. 4. Both VGE produced dose-dependent increases in mean arterial pressure and heart rate in pithed rat preparations. The use of relatively selective receptor antagonists indicated that the increases in mean arterial pressure (MAP) produced by both VGE were mediated by an action on alpha 2-adrenoceptors.

The role of endogenous norepinephrine release in potassium-evoked vasoconstriction of the rat tail artery

Potassium-containing solutions are often used to study the sequence of events leading from excitation to vasoconstriction. In densely innervated vessels, such as the rat tail artery, potassium-induced vasoconstriction may be mediated via smooth muscle depolarization and release of endogeneous norepinephrine. The relative contribution of these two mechanisms--a 'direct' depolarization of the vascular smooth muscle cell membrane, and an 'indirect' sympathomimetic action--to the vasoconstrictor response was studied in the present paper. Perfusion/superfusion of the rat tail artery in vitro with potassium-containing solutions had different effects depending on the concentration used. A change in potassium concentration from 4.7 to 20 mM had no effect on either perfusion pressure or norepinephrine overflow. From 30 to 70 mM, potassium produced increasing amounts of norepinephrine overflow. Experiments with phentolamine and reserpine showed that this norepinephrine overflow contributed for up to half of the vasoconstrictor response observed. A second norepinephrine-independent mechanism was also involved but the latter appeared to be incapable of producing sustained contraction. At concentrations of potassium above 50-70 mM, the results of experiments with (+/-)-propranolol suggest that the norepinephrine released by potassium has a beta-adrenoceptor-mediated vasorelaxant effect.

Preliminary evidence for noradrenaline and ATP as neurotransmitters in the porcine isolated palmar common digital artery

Sympathetic neurotransmission in porcine isolated palmar common digital artery involves the release of noradrenaline and ATP which produce constrictor responses via alpha 1-adrenoceptor and P2x receptors, respectively. Responses to short trains of pulses (e.g. 4 pulses at 2Hz) are almost entirely attributable to ATP, while those to longer trains of pulses appear to involve both transmitters. Unlike the corresponding blood vessel in man (Stevens and Mould, 1985) no evidence for "innervated" post-junctional alpha 2-adrenoceptors was found.

Neurotransmitters and pre- and post-junctional receptors involved in the vasoconstrictor response to sympathetic nerve stimulation in rat tail artery

The study was prompted by the need to re-evaluate, in view of the complexity of the evidence in the literature, the relative roles of different sympathetic transmitters and receptors in the contractile response of the tail artery of adult normotensive rats to electrical field stimulation. By the pharmacological approach employed, noradrenaline and adenosine 5'-triphosphate appeared to contribute to this response; the possible roles of other putative transmitters such as neuropeptide Y could not be examined due to lack of specific antagonists. Noradrenaline, clearly the main mediator, exerted both excitatory and inhibitory effects, acting in part via different receptors depending on the stimulus parameters. Thus, yohimbine and prazosin (alpha 2- and alpha 1-adrenoceptor antagonists, respectively) were about equally effective as inhibitors of the noradrenaline-mediated contractile response to stimulation with short trains and/or at low frequency, but the response caused by long trains and/or high-frequency stimulation was much more strongly inhibited by prazosin than by yohimbine. As expected, yohimbine enhanced the [3H]noradrenaline overflow response to long but not to short stimulus trains, presumably because in the latter case the noradrenaline concentration in the relevant biophase was too low to activate the pre-junctional alpha 2-adrenoceptors. Finally, propranolol, an unselective beta-adrenoceptor antagonist, enhanced the neurogenic contraction, indicating that noradrenaline restricts this response by effects via post-junctional beta-adrenoceptors. Adenosine triphosphate appeared to exert dual, excitatory as well as inhibitory, post-junctional effects. Thus, the P2x-purinoceptor desensitizing agent, alpha, beta-methylene adenosine triphosphate, abolished the initial phase, but enhanced the amplitude of the neurogenic contraction, without affecting the nerve stimulation-induced overflow of [3H]noradrenaline. The results indicate that noradrenaline and adenosine triphosphate, the main mediators of the neurogenic contraction of this preparation, act in a more complex fashion than earlier thought; they argue against a significant direct contribution by other putative transmitters but do not exclude that such agents may act indirectly as modulators of this response.