title: CGRP and ANF cause relaxation of opossum internal anal sphincter via different mechanisms.
abstract: This investigation examined and compared the role of cyclic nucleotides in the mediation of internal anal sphincter (IAS) relaxation caused by the addition of neuropeptide calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and atrial natriuretic factor (ANF). The studies were performed in vitro on smooth muscle strips of opossum IAS. The relaxation produced by CGRP and ANF was examined before and after the addition of tetrodotoxin (TTX) (1 x 10(-6)M). At this concentration, TTX did not have any significant effect on the relaxation produced by either CGRP or ANF, suggesting that these peptides act directly on the smooth muscle. Addition of CGRP (3 x 10(-6) M) produced the maximal relaxation and significantly increased cAMP content without changing cGMP. On the other hand, addition of ANF (3 x 10(-6) M) caused a similar fall in IAS tension that was accompanied by a significant elevation in cGMP without any change in cAMP content. The rises in the levels of cyclic nucleotides preceded the onset of fall in the resting tension of IAS. Our results demonstrate that CGRP and ANF relax isolated strips of opossum IAS by their action directly at the smooth muscle and that this relaxation is associated with an increase in cAMP and cGMP, respectively. The studies suggest the presence of both cAMP and cGMP pathways in the IAS and that the relaxation of IAS smooth muscle in response to different peptides may occur via a specific intracellular biochemical pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rattan
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moummi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chakder
mesh_terms: D001003:Anal Canal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007700:Kinetics; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000187:drug effects*; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009893:Opossums; D051381:Rats; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D013779:Tetrodotoxin; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D006152:Cyclic GMP; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide