title: Pharmacological characterisation of postjunctional 5-HT receptors in cerebral arteries from the sheep.
abstract: In the sheep cerebral vasculature 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) caused a contraction of which ketanserin was found to be an effective antagonist (Basilar artery, pA2 = 9.33 +/- 0.16; middle cerebral artery, pA2 = 9.19 +/- 0.16; pial artery, pA2 = 9.47 +/- 0.12). Sumatriptan (GR 43175), a selective 5-HT1-like receptor agonist, was also found to have a small contractile effect on the sheep cerebral vasculature (Basilar artery, pD2 = 6.26 +/- 0.11; middle cerebral artery, pD2 = 6.25 +/- 0.10; pial artery, pD2 = 6.13 +/- 0.15). The contractile effect of sumatriptan was not antagonised by either ketanserin (1 microM) or MDL 72222 (1 microM). 5-HT therefore appears to cause contraction by stimulation of a mixed receptor population of 5-HT1-like and 5-HT2 receptors. In the sheep middle cerebral artery the addition of haemolysate was found to cause a contractile response and also to augment the contractile effects of both noradrenaline and 5-HT but only in the presence of a functional endothelium. However, 5-HT was never found to relax precontracted rings of the middle cerebral artery in either the presence or absence of a functional endothelium. These results indicate a basal release of EDRF in cerebral arteries that attenuates the effects of various constrictor agents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Gaw
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Wadsworth
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Humphrey
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001488:Basilar Artery / Q000187:drug effects; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000187:drug effects*; D007211:Indoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007650:Ketanserin / Q000494:pharmacology; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000187:drug effects*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012756:Sheep; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018170:Sumatriptan; D014326:Tropanes / Q000494:pharmacology; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D007211:Indoles; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D013449:Sulfonamides; D014326:Tropanes; D012701:Serotonin; D018170:Sumatriptan; D007650:Ketanserin; C042253:bemesetron; D009638:Norepinephrine