title: Effects of the divalent cation ionophore ionomycin on the performance of isolated guinea-pig atria.
abstract: In isolated electrically driven left and in spontaneously beating right guinea-pig atria, the calcium ionophore ionomycin produced a concentration-dependent positive inotropic and chronotropic effect with a threshold near 10(-7) mol/l and a pD2 of 6.31 +/- 0.09 and 5.94 +/- 0.07, respectively. At low [Ca2+]o (0.5 mmol/l), the positive inotropic effect of ionomycin (3 X 10(-6) mol/l) was strongly attenuated by ryanodine and nifedipine, and slightly attenuated by pindolol and mepyramine; atropine had no effect. The positive chronotropic effect of ionomycin was slightly reduced by cimetidine or pindolol, whereas atropine, nifedipine, and ryanodine showed no inhibitory activity. The oxygen consumption of resting left atria was significantly enhanced by addition of ionomycin. It is concluded that the action of ionomycin involves at least the following mechanisms: I) release of Ca2+ from sarcoplasmic reticulum, II) influx of Ca2+ from the extracellular space, and, having little significance, III) release of catecholamines and histamine from sympathetic nerve endings and tissue mast cells. However, additional mechanisms of action of ionomycin cannot be excluded.
authors.affiliation: Pharmakologisches Institut, Universität Tübingen, FRG.
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Himmel
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Riehle
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stieler
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Siess
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016275:Atrial Function; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002927:Cimetidine / Q000494:pharmacology; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000187:drug effects; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D015759:Ionomycin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects; D010869:Pindolol / Q000494:pharmacology; D011738:Pyrilamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D012433:Ryanodine / Q000494:pharmacology; D012519:Sarcoplasmic Reticulum / Q000378:metabolism; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical
chemical_list: D012433:Ryanodine; D015759:Ionomycin; D002927:Cimetidine; D010869:Pindolol; D011738:Pyrilamine; D009543:Nifedipine; D002118:Calcium