Regional differences in contractile responses to tachykinin agonists and to electrical field stimulation are dependent on distribution of proteinase activity

Tachykinin receptors mediating non-cholinergic contraction of the guinea-pig isolated main bronchus in response to field stimulation

1. The primary aim of the present study was to classify the receptors activated by tachykinins released by field stimulation of intramural nerve terminals of the guinea-pig isolated main bronchus by using the novel non-peptide NK1 and NK2 receptor-selective antagonists SR 140333 and SR 48968, respectively. 2. Log concentration-response curves to substance P (SP), the NK1 receptor-selective agonist [Sar9, Met(O2)11]-SP and the NK2 receptor-selective agonist [Nle10]-neurokinin (NK) A(4-10) were constructed in the presence of indomethacin (2 mumol/L) and phosphoramidon (5 mumol/L). Substance P was the least potent of these agonists. 3. In left and right main bronchi, SR 140333 (100 nmol/L) antagonized concentration-related contractions evoked by SP yielding pKB values of 8.02 and 7.68, respectively. SR 140333 (10 nmol/L) antagonized the effects of [Sar9, Met(O2)11]-SP on the left bronchus with a pKB value of 8.04. 4. SR 48968 (100 nmol/L) antagonized the effects of SP yielding pKB estimates of 7.88 (left bronchus) and 7.31 (right bronchus). 5. [Nle10]-NKA(4-10) was more potent in the left than in the right main bronchus. SR 48968 (0.1-10 nmol/L) antagonized the effects of [Nle10]-NKA(4-10) on the left bronchus with pKB estimates of 8.26-10.25. 6. In the presence of indomethacin (2 mumol/L), phosphoramidon (5 mumol/L) and atropine (1 mumol/L), electrical field stimulation (EFS; 30 V, 1 ms, 15 s at 1, 3, 10 and 30 Hz) produced prolonged contractions. SR 48968 (0.1 mumol/L) markedly reduced responses to stimulation, whereas SR 140333 (0.3 mumol/L) caused a small but significant rightward displacement of the log frequency-response curve. In combination, these concentrations of SR 48968 and SR 140333 produced complete inhibition to field stimulation at 10 Hz. 7. These results indicate that: (i) both NK1 and NK2 receptor subtypes are present in the guinea-pig main bronchi with the left bronchus being more sensitive to an NK2 receptor agonist; and (ii) EFS of the main bronchus leads to frequency dependent contractions due to the release of tachykinin(s) that predominantly activate an NK2 receptor.

Effects of ageing on regional differences in the contractile responses to acetylcholine and neurokinin A in rabbit airway

1. Experiments were designed to study the effects of ageing on muscarine and NK2 receptor mechanisms in the three different regions of rabbit airway. 2. The pD2 value of acetylcholine changed with age in three different regions while that of carbamylcholine, which is resistant to acetylcholinesterase, did not. 3. The pD2 values of neurokinin A and the activity of protease, a degradative enzyme, changed with age. However, by the pretreatment with phosphoramidon, a protease inhibitor, the regional difference and age related change of the pD2 value of neurokinin A disappeared. 4. In conclusion, the observations about age related changes and regional differences of pD2 value of acetylcholine and neurokinin A were due to the difference of their degradative enzyme activities.