Neurogenic "off" contractions are mediated by NK2-receptors in the circular muscle of guinea pig ileum

Propulsive activity induced by sequential electrical stimulation in the descending colon of the pig

This work was performed to study electrically induced contractions in the descending colon of pigs. Contractions were monitored using impedance planimetry and manometry. The luminal pressure, cross-sectional area (CSA), latency and velocity of CSA decrease were compared when using 3 ms, 9, 12, 15 or 30 mA pulses at 10 Hz for 10 s, and 15 mA, 0.03, 0.3 or 3 ms pulses at 10 Hz for 10 s. Stimulation was performed prior and after the application of N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) and atropine. In the untreated colon, contraction was always of an 'off' type. A current increase from 9 to 30 mA increased the pressure. An increase of pulse duration from 0.03 to 3 ms shortened the latency, accelerated contraction and increased pressure. By sequential stimulation, contractions were coordinated to propel semi-fluid and solid luminal contents. L-NAME increased the magnitude of CSA decrease. Atropine induced inhibitory effects on contractions elicited by 3 ms pulses and abolished contractions induced by 0.03 and 0.3 ms pulses.

IN CONCLUSION

(i) electrical stimulation evokes'off' colon contractions, which can be coordinated to result in propulsion; (ii) the best combination for current and pulse duration to induce propulsive contractions is 15 mA and 3 ms; (iii) nitrergic and cholinergic pathways mediate responses to electrical stimulation.

Tachykinins in the gut. Part I. Expression, release and motor function

The preprotachykinin-A gene-derived peptides substance P and neurokinin (NK) A are expressed in distinct neural pathways of the mammalian gut. When released from intrinsic enteric or extrinsic primary afferent neurons, tachykinins have the potential to influence both nerve and muscle by way of interaction with three different types of tachykinin receptor, termed NK1, NK2 and NK3 receptors. Most prominent among the effects of tachykinins is their excitatory action on gastrointestinal motor activity, which is seen in virtually all regions and layers of the mammalian gut. This action depends not only on a direct activation of the muscle through NK1 and/or NK2 receptors, but also on stimulation of excitatory enteric motor pathways through NK3 and/or NK1 receptors. In addition, tachykinins can inhibit motor activity by stimulating either inhibitory neuronal pathways or interrupting excitatory relays. A synopsis of the available data indicates that endogenous substance P and NKA interact with other enteric transmitters in the physiological control of gastrointestinal motor activity. Derangement of the regulatory roles of tachykinins may be a factor in the gastrointestinal dysmotility associated with infection, inflammation, stress and pain. In a therapeutic perspective, it would seem conceivable, therefore, that tachykinin agonists and antagonists are adjuncts to the treatment of motor disorders that involve pathological disturbances of the gastrointestinal tachykinin system.

Spontaneous tone in different types of longitudinal muscle preparations of guinea pig ileum

Spontaneous tone of longitudinal muscle in guinea pig ileum was investigated in three types of preparations, intact segment preparation, segment preparation deprived of the mucosal layer and longitudinal strip preparation. Tone was defined as the sustained contraction that was lost by 10(-7) M atropine in the isotonically recorded manner. The magnitudes of tone were constant for at least 3 hr in the two types of segment preparations. Contractions in response to 10(-6) M acetylcholine, which were induced 9 times with an interval of 20 min between each induction, were almost identical throughout the period. In the longitudinal strip preparation, on the other hand, the tone gradually decayed and was eventually lost, while the amplitudes of acetylcholine-induced contractions were reciprocally increased. The tone in the intact segment preparation was reduced to 19% of the control by tetrodotoxin (3 x 10(-7) M), to 51% by indomethacin (3 x 10(-6) M) and to 26% by N6-cyclopentyladenosine (10(-7) M), but was not affected by AA-861 (3 x 10(-6) M) or CP-96,345 (3 x 10(-7) M). In the three types of preparations, the dose-response curves for acetylcholine were alike with similar EC50s. These results suggest that the tone of longitudinal muscle was mainly induced due to neural activity in the myenteric plexus of guinea pig ileum and that sensitivity to acetylcholine was not affected by the neural activity.

Tachykinin receptors in gastrointestinal motility

For a long time research on the action of TKs on gastrointestinal tissue has been demonstrating the importance of the TKs as non-cholinergic stimulators of motility in most parts of the mammalian gastrointestinal tract. The past years witnessed the development of TK agonists and antagonists selective for the various receptor types, which prompted a wealth of new insight into the pharmacology and molecular biology of the TK receptors. This knowledge now allows a more specific elucidation of the role of TKs and their receptors in the various aspects of gastrointestinal motility, not only in normal tissue but also under pathological conditions.