Functional assessment of alpha 1-adrenoceptor subtypes in porcine coronary artery

Pharmacological and mechanical properties of isolated pig coronary veins

Recent successful cardiac transplantation from pig to non-human primates and the first pig-to-human transplantation has put the focus on the properties of the pig heart. In contrast to the coronary arteries, the coronary veins are less well characterized and the aim was to examine the mechanical and pharmacological properties of coronary veins in comparison to the arteries. Vessel segments from the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) and the concomitant vein were isolated from pig hearts in cardioplegia and examined in vitro. The wall thickness, active tension and active stress at optimal circumference were lower in coronary veins, reflecting the lower intravascular pressure in vivo. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis of myosin isoforms showed that the vein could be characterized as having a slower smooth muscle phenotype compared to the artery. Both vessel types contracted in response to the thromboxane agonist U46619 with EC50 values of about 20 nM. The artery contracted in response to acetylcholine. Precontracted arteries relaxed in noradrenaline and substance P. In contrast, the veins relaxed in acetylcholine, contracted in noradrenaline and were unresponsive to substance P. In conclusion, these results demonstrate significant differences between the coronary artery and vein in the smooth muscle properties and in the responses to sympathetic and parasympathetic stimuli.

Effects of molybdenum, silicon and nickel on alpha1-adrenoceptor-induced constriction of rat isolated aorta

1. To determine the effects of trace elements on alpha1-adrenoceptor-mediated vasoconstriction, we studied the effects of molybdenum (Mo), silicon (Si) and nickel (Ni) on vasoconstrictor response to an alpha1-adrenoceptor agonist in rat aorta. 2. Cumulative concentration-contraction curves were obtained for phenylephrine (1 nmol/L-10 micromol/L) in the absence and presence of Mo, Si and Ni (0.3, 1 and 3 micromol/L) in rat aorta rings. Increasing the concentration of Mo and Si from 0.3 to 3 micromol/L shifted the cumulative concentration-contraction curve to the right, but did not reduce the maximal contractile response to phenylephrine. In contrast, Ni at 1 and 3 micromol/L shifted the cumulative concentration-contraction curve to the right and, at 3 micromol/L, reduced the maximum contractile response to phenylephrine. 3. We conclude that micromolar concentrations of Mo, Si and Ni affected alpha1-adrenoceptor-induced vasoconstriction and that Ni significantly inhibited the maximal contractile response to phenylephrine in rat isolated aorta.

Dopamine induces intracellular Ca2+ signals mediated by alpha1B-adrenoceptors in rat pineal cells

We have studied the functional interaction of dopamine with alpha1-adrenoceptor subtypes by measuring intracellular Ca2+ levels in pineal cells, a cell type where adrenoceptors are well characterized. We show that dopamine induces transient intracellular Ca2+ signals in only 70% of cells responding to phenylephrine. Dopamine-induced Ca2+ signals desensitise faster than Ca2+ transients elicited with phenylephrine and are selectively blocked by desipramine, imipramine, and alpha1B-adrenoceptor antagonists. These results suggest that dopamine induced Ca2+ signals are mainly due to the activation of one subtype of alpha-adrenoceptor, the alpha1B.