title: Factors affecting rabbit mesenteric artery smooth muscle sensitivity to calcium antagonists.
abstract: The sensitivity of rabbit isolated superior mesenteric artery to Ca++ antagonists was examined under various conditions. Relaxation dose-response curves for D600 or nifedipine were generated, and IC50 values were calculated. In the first series of experiments, D600 or nifedipine IC50 was found to be 20-25-fold greater for norepinephrine (NE, 5 microM) contraction than for 80 nM K+ contraction. Even when the tissues were depolarized with 80 mM K+ before NE contraction, D600 or nifedipine IC50 still remained significantly greater compared with 80 mM K+ alone and remained closer to that during NE alone. Also a protocol was designed to study NE-induced phasic contraction in EGTA-physiological salt solution (a functional indicator of intracellular Ca++ release) as well as NE-induced sustained contraction after readdition of Ca++. The effects of varying [K+]ex (0-80 nM range) on NE-induced [Ca++]i release as well as on the D600 IC50 for NE contraction was studied. Increasing [K+]ex was found to enhance NE-sensitive [Ca++]i release and lower the D600 IC50 for NE contraction. Thus, conditions causing an increase in the ability of NE to cause [Ca++]i release were associated with an increase in the sensitivity of NE contraction to D600. These data provide functional evidence that the receptor-agonist sensitive Ca++ influx process in vascular smooth muscle is not solely regulated by changes in membrane potential. Additional mechanisms, such as a modulatory role of [Ca++]i release, in this process are implicated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Diseases Research, Upjohn Company, Kalamazoo, Michigan.
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Meisheri
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Sage
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Cipkus-Dubray
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005711:Gallopamil / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008638:Mesenteric Arteries; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects*; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000187:drug effects*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects*; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000494:pharmacology; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D005711:Gallopamil; D009543:Nifedipine; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium; D009638:Norepinephrine