The noradrenaline content of the vas deferens of the guinea-pig

Changes in sympathetic nerve terminals in the heart of cold-exposed rats

Changes in sympathetic nerve terminals of the heart after varying periods of exposure of rats to 4 degrees C were investigated. Two indices were used for changes in the number of noradrenaline storage vesicles, i.e., vesicular dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DBH) activity and noradrenaline storage capacity. The latter was obtained after uptake of [3H]noradrenaline; endogenous content, uptake of exogenous noradrenaline, and degree of saturation of the vesicles were calculated using the specific activity of the [3H]noradrenaline. As a measure of tyrosine hydroxylase activity, whole ventricular noradrenaline, dopamine, and dihydroxyphenylacetic acid content were used. After 4 h of cold exposure there was an increase in vesicular endogenous noradrenaline content, uptake, storage capacity, and DBH activity as well as a large increase in whole ventricular dopamine. After 6 h in the cold, vesicular endogenous noradrenaline content, storage capacity, and DBH activity were decreased. The results suggest that during cold exposure there is an initial increase followed by a decrease in the number of functional vesicles in the nerve terminal, which could explain the fluctuations in the rate of noradrenaline release.

Cholinergic receptors in the human vas deferens

This study represents the first investigation demonstrating the contractile response to exogenous acetylcholine (ACh) in the isolated human vas deferens. Pharmacological characterization of cholinergic receptors was achieved using selective antagonists to define receptor subtypes. In the HVD the effect of exogenous ACh is revealed as a dose-dependent sudden increase in the basal tension of the vasa. The ACh receptors of the HVD were competitively antagonized by atropine (ATR) with a high pA2 value (8.78). The main finding of this study is the presence of cholinergic receptors of the pharmacologically defined M1-ACh subtype in the isolated HVD, according to the pA2 values obtained with pirenzepine (PRZ) 7.39, AF-DX 116 (AF) 5.92 and 4-DAMP 5.65, M1-ACh, M2-ACh and M3-ACh selective antagonists, respectively. Prazosin (PZ), a selective alpha 1-adrenergic antagonist, displayed a similar competitive antagonism for the contractile response evoked both by ACh (pA2 = 8.69) and NE (pA2 = 8.58) in the HVD. The antagonism exerted by PZ on the ACh-induced contractile response of the HVD, suggests that ACh probably acts at a presynaptic level stimulating the release of NE from an adrenergic neuron. According to these findings, the receptor involved in this action, located in the proximity of the nerve terminals, seems to be of the M1-ACh subtype.

The effect of peripheral noradrenaline depletion on responding on a schedule of differential reinforcement of low rates of response (DRL)

First, it was confirmed that systemic injection of the neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine HBr (30 mg/kg IP) depleted noradrenaline levels in rat heart, but not centrally. Losses averaged 90% of control 1 day after injection, and 50% at 42 days. The same drug and dose was then administered to 50% of a group of rats which had been trained to lever-press for food reward on continuous reinforcement (CRF). After further CRF sessions, the rats were changed to a schedule of Differential Reinforcement of Low Rates of Response with a 20-s criterion (DRL 20). The drugged rats earned fewer reinforcements during DRL than did controls, and made fewer responses. Temporal discrimination (shown by the IRT/Opp distribution) was disrupted. It is concluded that peripheral noradrenergic systems may be involved in the control over responding by temporal cues associated with reward and non-reward.

Dorsal bundle lesions do not affect latent inhibition of conditioned suppression

Three experiments are reported which examine the effects of lesions of the dorsal ascending noradrenergic bundle (DB) on latent inhibition using a conditioned suppression procedure in rats. In none of the experiments did the DB lesion have any effect, despite changes in the extent of latent inhibition and in the control procedures used to assess it. The results are discussed in relation to the attentional theory of DB function.

Storage and release of noradrenaline in hypothalamic synaptosomes

The noradrenaline storage capacity of vesicles in hypothalamic synaptosomes was measured by incubating them with [3H]noradrenaline under saturating conditions. The normal noradrenaline content is 52% of storage capacity. Incubation or superfusion with 50 mM-potassium causes calsium-dependent release from the vesicles. Such release reduces not only the vesicular content, but also the noradrenaline storage capacity. This suggests that after exocytosis vesicles cannot refill with noradrenaline.

Tachyphylaxis to ethacrynic acid in the isolated atrium of guinea-pig and its relation to noradrenaline stores

1 The isolated electrically-paced atrium of the guinea-pig developed a dose-dependent increase in the force of contraction in response to ethacrynic acid (12-100 microgram/ml) which was blocked by pretreatment of the animals with reserpine but was unaffected by desipramine or colchicine added to the bathing medium. 2 There was a rapidly developing tachyphylaxis to repeated doses of ethacrynic acid which was not reversed by rest or incubation of the tissue with noradrenaline. 3 There was no cross tachyphylaxis between ethacrynic acid and tyramine, amphetamine or nicotine. 4 Ethacrynic acid (200 microgram/ml) decreased the noradrenaline content of the atria by 32%. 5 It is concluded that ethacrynic acid exerts its effects indirectly through the release of endogenous noradrenaline and that the mechanism of release seems to be different from that of other known indirect sympathomimetic drugs.

An inhibitory role for noradrenaline in the mouse vas deferens

1 Noradrenaline (0.1-3.0 muM) inhibited the twitch responses to single pulse field stimulation of the isolated vas deferens of the mouse. The higher concentrations of noradrenaline (ca. 0.3-3.0 muM) were required to make the tissue contract.2 Phentolamine (10 muM) abolished the contractor response to higher concentrations of noradrenaline and antagonized the inhibitory effect of lower concentrations on the twitch response.3 Propranolol (10 muM) potentiated both the contractor and the inhibitory effect of noradrenaline on the twitch response.4 Isoprenaline (0.1-3.0 muM) and salbutamol (1.0-3.0 muM) both inhibited the twitch response. Their effects were antagonized by propranolol (10 muM), but not by practolol (10 muM).5 The effects of uptake(1) and uptake(2) blocking agents were determined. Cocaine (10 muM) reduced the size of the twitch response in 2 out of 4 experiments. Imipramine (0.18 muM) also reduced the size of the twitch, as did oestradiol (3.7 muM) and a combination of cocaine and oestradiol.6 Contractor responses to exogenous noradrenaline showed tachyphylaxis, but when this was not very marked, the response could be shown to be potentiated by uptake blocking agents.7 The inhibitory effect of noradrenaline on the twitch response was greatly potentiated by cocaine (10 muM) and much less so by oestradiol (3.7 muM).8 It is concluded that the transmitter responsible for the twitch response is either an unknown substance released from the sympathetic neurone, or noradrenaline acting upon a receptor with none of the characteristics of known alpha- or beta-adrenoceptors. In either case, noradrenaline can inhibit the output, probably by stimulation of presynaptic alpha-adrenoceptors.

Semi-quantitative estimation of changes in noradrenaline content and intraneuronal distribution in the rat vas deferens by fluorescence histochemistry

A semi-quantitative histochemical assay for noradrenaline was developed, based on the assumption that the rate of reaction of noradrenaline with paraformaldehyde depends on transmitter concentration. Changes in organ noradrenaline content caused by drugs or cold-stress were associated with similar changes in fluorescence intensity of organ samples taken for microscopy. Differences in the fluorescence intensity of experimental and control tissues were also found when there was no change in total noradrenaline content, suggesting that fluorescence intensity is not a simple function of whole organ noradrenaline content. Changes in the relative fluorescence of experimental tissues with different paraformaldehyde exposures suggested that the intraneuronal distribution of noradrenaline may affect the rate of development of fluorescence. Analysis of the time course of the fluorescence reaction showed that this was best described by the sum of two first-order exponential components of different half-life. Further results suggested that the first, fast component represents vesicle-bound noradrenaline, while the slow component represents extrangranular transmitter.

Critical comment on the "trophic" influence of the effector organ on the sympathetic nerves of the male sex accessories of the guinea-pig

There is no absolute parallelism between organ noradrenaline content and organ weight in the male sex accessories during normal development or following regression after castration.

Inhibition of post-ganglionic motor transmission in vas deferens by indirectly acting sympathomimetic drugs

1. Using field stimulation with short trains of pulses (< 10 per train), the post-ganglionic motor transmission in the mammalian vas deferens has been further analysed pharmacologically.2. In preparations taken from guinea-pigs, rats and rabbits the effects of the indirectly sympathomimetic drugs, tyramine and cocaine, could be explained entirely on the basis of the actions of released, endogenous noradrenaline.3. Tyramine produced a contraction in vasa taken from normal rats but not from normal guinea-pigs. The tyramine contraction was due to release of endogenous noradrenaline because it was not seen in preparations taken from reserpinized rats and because it was abolished in normal vasa by phenoxybenzamine or phentolamine, thus denying the supposed inaccessibility, to alpha-blockers, of the motor alpha-adrenoceptors activated by endogenous noradrenaline.4. Phenoxybenzamine or phentolamine failed to block post-ganglionic motor transmission in rat and in guinea-pig vasa.5. Tyramine strongly inhibited motor transmission in vasa taken from normal but not from reserpinized guinea-pigs.6. Tyramine produced inhibition of motor transmission in phenoxybenzamine-treated preparations taken from normal but not from reserpinized rats.7. Cocaine inhibited motor transmission in guinea-pig and in rat vasa. This effect was not due to a local anaesthetic or to a smooth-muscle depressant action because it did not occur in preparations taken from reserpinized animals.8. The inhibitory effect of tyramine or cocaine was not abolished by beta-adrenoceptor blockade with propranolol.9. Whereas reserpinization abolished the tyramine- and cocaine-inhibitions, it did not affect the inhibitory actions of noradrenaline or of PGE(2).10. Indomethacin and sodium meclofenamate, which suppress prostaglandin synthesis, did not affect the twitch-inhibiting actions of noradrenaline, tyramine or cocaine.11. These results provide further support for the conclusion that post-ganglionic motor transmission to the vas deferens is non-adrenergic in these species and assign to endogenously released noradrenaline an inhibitory role upon motor transmission.

Evidence against adrenergic motor transmission in the guinea-pig vas deferens

1. Field stimulation of desheathed preparations of guinea-pig vas deferens, treated with a ganglion-blocking agent, has revealed the presence of two tetrodotoxin-susceptible components in the motor response, suggesting the existence of two sets of post-ganglionic motor nerve fibres of different excitability: one set responding maximally to pulses of 0.1-0.4 msec; the other, to pulses of 2 msec. No distinction could be made pharmacologically between the two components.2. Cooling potentiated that component in the twitch-responses which was due to stimulation of the more excitable fibres.3. The sensitivity of the longitudinal muscle to the motor action of noradrenaline was low and was subject to considerable animal variation. But normal responses to post-ganglionic field stimulation were elicited in noradrenaline-insensitive preparations, in which the twitches elicited by 5 pulses could not be matched with noradrenaline, even 100-125 mug/ml.4. In some forty experiments, small doses of noradrenaline inhibited the twitch-responses evoked by either set of motor fibres. This inhibition differed from that produced by isoprenaline in two respects. Firstly, propranolol did not antagonize the noradrenaline inhibition, thus excluding an action on beta-adrenoceptors; and secondly, noradrenaline did not depress contractions elicited by muscarine or by 5-methylfurmethide.5. Phenoxybenzamine, 10(-6) g/ml., produced a thousandfold reduction in the sensitivity of the muscle to the motor action of noradrenaline, without any decrease in the height of the twitches elicited by 0.1 or 1 msec pulses.6. The twitch-responses were not affected by combined alpha + beta adrenoceptor blockade with phentolamine and propranolol.7. Tyramine, amphetamine, tranylcypromine and prostaglandin E(2) inhibited the twitches but potentiated the contractile effect of noradrenaline.8. The twitch-responses and their inhibition by noradrenaline were present in preparations taken from reserpinized animals.9. Although the twitch-responses could be paralysed by bretylium or guanethidine, the foregoing results excluded adrenergic transmission at the motor endings. Cholinergic transmission was also excluded by negative findings with anticholinesterases, atropine, nicotine and (+)-tubocurarine.10. Motor transmission by histamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine, gamma-aminobutyric acid or ATP was also excluded.

The storage of endogenous noradrenaline in sympathetic nerve terminals

1. The subcellular distribution of noradrenaline in sympathetic nerve terminals of rat vas deferens and cat spleen has been studied by cell fractionation methods combined with fluorescence and electronmicroscopic histochemical methods for noradrenaline.2. Pinched-off axon varicosities (synaptosomes) were isolated and identified by fluorescence and electronmicroscopy in the mitochondrial pellet.3. The proportion of large to small dense-cored vesicles in electronmicrographs of sympathetic nerve terminals varies in different organs. In rat vas deferens 4% and in cat spleen 20% are large vesicles.4. Density gradients of rat vas deferens have a single low density peak of noradrenaline at 0.6 M sucrose, whereas those of cat spleen have an additional peak of noradrenaline at 1.1 M sucrose.5. Small dense-cored vesicles were identified electronmicroscopically in the low density fractions and large dense-cored vesicles in the high density fractions from density gradients.6. We conclude that both small and large dense-cored vesicles store noradrenaline.

Acceleration of noradrenaline biosynthesis in the guinea-pig vas deferens by potassium

1. Increasing the concentration of KCl in Krebs-Henseleit bicarbonate solution enhanced the formation of (14)C-noradrenaline ((14)C-NA) from (14)C-tyrosine in the guinea-pig vas deferens. In 52 mM KCl Krebs-Henseleit solution the specific activity of the newly formed (14)C-NA was double that of controls.2. The rate of synthesis of (14)C-NA from (14)C-tyrosine was constant for up to 2 h in 52 mM KCl Krebs-Henseleit solution and for 4 h in unmodified Krebs-Henseleit solution.3. There was no increase in NA formation in the presence of KCl rich Krebs-Henseleit solution if (14)C-DOPA was used as the starting substrate instead of (14)C-tyrosine.4. The specific activity of (14)C-tyrosine in the high KCl treated vas deferens was 80% of that of control tissues. Thus the enhanced synthesis of (14)C-NA in high KCl Krebs-Henseleit solution did not arise from an increase in the specific activity of precursor.5. The effect of K(+) on NA synthesis was not mimicked by ganglionic stimulants nor blocked by tetrodotoxin.6. Removal of Ca(2+) ions or increasing the concentration of Mg(2+) ions abolished the increase in synthesis of NA seen in high KCl Krebs-Henseleit solution but left the basal rate of NA synthesis in unmodified Krebs-Henseleit solution unaltered.7. The spontaneous release of newly synthesized catecholamines ((14)C-labelled) or tritiated noradrenaline ((3)H-NA) from vasa deferentia was increased in 52 mM KCl Krebs-Henseleit solution. Removal of Ca(2+) ions reduced the increased efflux of newly synthesized amine in high KCl media to that seen in unmodified Krebs-Henseleit solution. The efflux of (3)H-NA was reduced to one-third of its former rate in the absence of Ca(2+).8. High KCl Krebs-Henseleit solution caused a substantial contraction of the vas deferens which was not abolished by tetrodotoxin. Release of (3)H-NA paralleled the contractile response, and was likewise unaffected by tetrodotoxin.9. No evidence was obtained for any alterations in the activity of tyrosine hydroxylase, the rate limiting enzyme in the formation of NA from tyrosine, in homogenates of vas deferens which had been treated with 52 mM KCl Krebs-Henseleit solution.10. These results support the hypothesis that acceleration of NA synthesis occurs when tyrosine hydroxylase is freed from end-product inhibition by the release of noradrenaline, brought about in this case, by high concentrations of KCl.

The innervation of the frog's heart. II. The effects of axotomy on the adrenaline content of the sympathetic nerve fibres

Fluorescence microscopy and chemical assay of catecholamines have been used to examine the changes in adrenaline content of the nerve fibres in the frog’s heart after vagosympathectomy. There is an immediate increase in the content of the fine terminal fibres and it spreads up into the thicker fibres. It is followed by a loss of fluorescence and disintegration of the fibres. Their content is above normal for at least 48 h, and they have disappeared after 8 days. Isolated saline perfused hearts show a similar increase in adrenaline content, and this must be due to the synthesis of adrenaline within the peripheral parts of the neurons separated from their cell bodies. The continued synthesis is thought to reveal a normal ‘depletion’ of the nerve terminals due possibly to a failure of the re-uptake mechanism for released adrenaline, which may be being washed away by the very high blood flow past the terminals, before it can be taken up.